Solid Ground
by PinkElephant5
Summary: A phone call, an impossible decision, and suddenly thirteen years' worth of questions all come down to seven days' worth of answers: this was their first week together. My take on early season five.
1. Crosswords and Freefall

**A/N**: _What's that, you say? The world needs another post-Always fanfic? I've got you covered! We join our intrepid heroes the afternoon after Always. Things start off deceptively fluffy, but an actual plot is waiting in the wings for chapter 2 and beyond. As a mostly fluff-centric fanfic writer, I find that slightly terrifying. But here we go!_

**DISCLAIMER:** You know that show _Castle_? Yeah, I don't own it.

* * *

**Solid Ground  
****Chapter 1: Crosswords and Freefall**

* * *

Kate's phone was ringing again, but she still wasn't going to answer it.

It's not that she was avoiding anyone, because she wasn't— no one specific, anyway. But her phone was on the kitchen counter, and she was in bed. With Castle. Doing the crossword puzzle.

Castle lifted his mouth from the very sensitive place where he'd been spelling 12 Across with his tongue. "Your caller is very persistent. Maybe you should answer it."

Kate groaned impatiently in protest of the missing letters. "They can wait five minutes. Are you trying to weasel out of paying your crossword dues?"

"Detective Beckett, I'm insulted. You think I only need five minutes? Besides, I sometimes badger, and occasionally squirrel, but I never weasel. Although I still think you cheated."

"Sore loser."

Now he was affronted. "In case you've forgotten, words are my business! There is no way you beat me at the Sunday crossword in a fair fight."

"Sorry, Castle, but is it my fault you're a novice at strip crossword?" She ran one foot languidly up and down his body and lightly caressed the outline of his ear with one finger.

He narrowed his eyes in mock suspicion. "What's a 5-letter word for 'beautiful but dangerous temptress?"

"Siren."

"Damn. You win again."

Kate grinned and pulled his head to hers in a kiss that left no question what kind of winnings she planned to collect.

x-x-x-x-x

The previous night had been a revelation for both of them. They had known that four years' worth of attraction, annoyance, affection, growing trust, and unexpressed love would not lead to an ordinary encounter. Even so, the intensity and tenderness of their first time making love had stunned them. Before last night, they had each suspected (privately, of course) that the chemistry that caused them to constantly finish each other's sentences might have other, more physical applications as well. To their great and somewhat exhausted delight, they had proved themselves right. Several times.

They knew they had a lot to talk about, and a lot to deal with. Resignations, assassins on the loose. The story behind each of the purple bruises blooming all over Kate's body, although Castle didn't know how much detail he could handle right now. In spite of, or maybe because of, all that, they were giving themselves a moment apart. One weekend to savor the newness of being truly together before they stepped out into whatever came next.

In contrast to the earth-shattering revelations and gravity of that first night, the release of so much sexual and emotional tension had left them a little giddy the next day. When she went home that morning (or was it early afternoon?) for a change of clothes, Castle assumed he was invited to come with her, and he wasn't wrong. They made it as far as her living room couch. She eventually found her way to the shower, and Castle assumed he was invited to join her there as well— and he wasn't wrong. The showering process was less efficient than usual, but much more fun.

Afterwards she had finally managed to get dressed while Castle sat on her bed doing the crossword. Then a cocky comment about beating his previous time while still watching her dress had goaded her into a friendly challenge, and now neither of them had anything but backward progress to show on the clothing front.

x-x-x-x-x

The phone had finally stopped ringing, and Castle resumed paying his debts. They were both thinking about a 6-letter word for "pinnacle" when a voice and a loud knock at the door interrupted their...train of thought.

"Kate! Honey, I know you're in there. I had Ryan trace your cell phone. I am not leaving until you open this door."

Kate and Castle groaned in unison, but they knew better than to leave Lanie standing in the hallway. Castle sighed, gave Kate a parting kiss under her ear, and freed her from his weight. Kate scrambled out of bed and threw on the nearest piece of clothing as she shouted, "I'm coming, Lanie."

Lanie continued from the hallway, "I can tell by the last three calls you've ignored that you don't want to talk right now, but I need to be sure that you're all ri—" Kate threw open the door, and Lanie cut off abruptly. Even someone without acute crime-solving senses couldn't fail to notice the tousled hair, flushed skin, breathless manner, and Beckett's choice of wardrobe: a button-down shirt tailored for much broader shoulders and reaching halfway to her knees.

Lanie's eyes narrowed. "That's an expensive shirt. I know that shirt." Without shifting her eyes from Beckett's face she called out, "Richard Castle, front and center."

His obedient "Coming!" from the next room was followed a few seconds later by, "Uh, Beckett has my—"

"I don't care. Get out here."

While Castle figured out an alternative to showing Lanie as much skin as she saw from her guests in the morgue, Lanie looked at her friend and silently raised her eyebrows. Kate answered with a smile that was only slightly tinged by embarrassment at being so obviously caught in the act.

_Finally,_ thought Lanie._ She's letting in a little happiness._

Castle shuffled out of the bedroom a moment later wrapped in a sheet. "Dr. Parish. Always a pleasure to see you."

"Liar." She gave him an appraising look. He was as tousled as Beckett, with a day or more of stubble on his face and the kind of disarrayed hair style that said someone else's hands had done it. He was making only a meager attempt to tone down the grin twinkling out through his eyes.

"I am actually glad to see you here, Castle— but hold onto that sheet. I see all I need to see right now. I would like a few minutes alone with my girl, so make yourself scarce."

"Understood. Besides, I find myself suddenly in need of a long shower." He brought his face close to Beckett's and deadpanned, "Now's my chance to rummage through your medicine cabinet, looking for the key that will unlock the mystery of Kate Beckett."

"Admit it, Castle, you rummaged through my cabinet years ago."

He grinned. "True." With that he leaned forward to kiss her, simple and sweet. Kate knew he was staking his claim in front of Lanie, but when it felt so natural she couldn't bring herself to mind. He shuffled back toward the bedroom and added, "And as much as I appreciate your constant attempts to keep me naked, I will need my shirt back."

x-x-x-x-x

"Okay, before Writer Boy runs out of hot water: spill it. But first— are you really okay? Javi told me you almost fell off a roof, and then you resigned?" The two women were sitting on the couch, Beckett in her own clothes again.

"I'm...actually okay. More okay than I've been in a long time."

"You certainly look more _relaxed _than you've been in forever, but that's not the same thing." Lanie threw a pointed glance at the closed bedroom door and the sound of the shower.

Kate blushed just a little. "This is not about...relaxation."

"Not that you're complaining."

Kate went on. "This is about who I am when I'm not hunting my mother's killer. Who I let myself be. And Castle is a part of that."

Lanie smiled gently. "That much is obvious. To everyone. And has been for a while now."

"Yeah, well, I just needed a little time before I was ready to let him in. Or maybe to let me out."

Lanie shook her head. "No, glaciers need a little time. You needed an epoch. But maybe it's not just about your issues. New York's most eligible playboy mystery writer has been sitting in that lumpy old chair by your desk for four years, even though he normally has the attention span of a 10-year-old. Maybe he needed a little time, too. Time to prove who he really is."

"And who is he?"

"The man who was willing to wait for you. The man you've been waiting for."

"Wow, Lanie, I didn't realize you were so pro-Castle."

"For me, not so much. For you?" She squeezed Kate's hand, "In a strange twist of fate, he might be perfect." She added, "But if he hurts you, I know at least a dozen undetectable ways to make him suffer."

"You're a good friend."

* * *

Later that evening Beckett and Castle were back at the loft, watching the slightly postponed John Wu double feature. Alexis and Martha had been surprised but feigned nonchalance when they came home from post-graduation shopping to find the two of them on the couch, a buffet of Chinese takeout on the coffee table, like it was the most normal thing in the world that Castle's arm was around his partner's shoulders and her head and hands were resting on his chest. Alexis joined them for the rest of _The Killer _and some mu shu pork, but she was unusually quiet and eventually pleaded sleep deprivation from her overnight party and went to bed. The extra-tight hug she gave her dad, and the "Good night" she offered to Beckett with a genuine smile encouraged Kate to think that maybe Alexis was okay with this new development.

Martha also headed upstairs early, citing an early morning yoga class that Castle was pretty sure she'd never mentioned before. On the landing she paused to say, "Kate, I can't tell you how happy I am that you're here at last. And don't think that either of you are getting out of telling me the whole story very soon. Good night, darlings."

They hit 'play' on _Hard Boiled_, and for a while they watched the movie in silence, Kate lying down with her head on his thigh. Rather than being sleepy or absorbed in the movie, he sensed that her silence was building to something. To his credit, he let her get there in her own time. He stroked her hair almost unconsciously, enjoying the simple companionship of a moment that had seemed completely out of reach only 24 hours earlier.

Without turning from the screen, she eventually spoke. "Gates suspended Esposito."

"I know."

She looked up. "How? Ryan?"

"He called while we were at your apartment. Wanted to make sure you were all right."

"He saved my life yesterday. Castle, I was completely out of my league. I threw everything I had at Maddox, and he just shrugged it off. Then he tossed me off a roof like he was swatting a fly." Castle's hand tensed on her shoulder at this new information, and he fought the urge to gather her up tight. It wasn't comfort she needed right now.

"After all these years on the force, all those cases, I should have recognized the signs."

He frowned. "The signs of what?"

"A loved one in freefall." She sat up and looked at him. "How many times have we seen people let their jobs, their families, their health, everything slip away because a person they love has been killed, and they can't deal with it? Can't move on?" Suddenly restless, she stood up and paced.

"I wanted my mother's killer so badly, I couldn't see what it was doing to me— worse, what it was doing to the people around me." She shook her head. "I'm lucky I didn't get Javi killed yesterday. As it is, he's suspended, and he blames Ryan, and now Ryan is alone at the 12th picking up the pieces. But it's me they should be blaming. You were right to walk out when you did, Rick. Because I would have taken you down with me, too."

Castle stood and gently took hold of her shoulders. "Listen to me. Esposito had your back because you would've done the same for him. If he could do it over, I'm guessing he would make the same choice. And of all those loved ones we've met, do you know how many I've seen in freefall?" She waited, listening. "Not nearly as many as I should have."

He took her hands and led her back to the couch to sit next to him. "For people going through the worst days of their lives, you are there to listen. To show them compassion. To offer them answers, and closure, and some measure of justice. When they could so easily slip away, you lead them to solid ground." He raised one hand to cradle her face. "It's one of the top three reasons I love you."

She smiled a little at his deceptively casual declaration. Would she ever get used to hearing that? "Do I dare ask about the other two?"

"Well, you like my books, which shows you have excellent taste."

"And number three?"

"You're really hot."

Kate gave him a variation on the "long-suffering but loving it" look she'd been forced to perfect over the last four years, then brought the conversation back around. "I'm just sorry I couldn't manage to anchor myself."

Castle smiled gently. "I'm not. Then what would you need me for?"

She leaned in and trailed a finger slowly down his jaw to his lower lip. "I'll give you a hint: I like it hot, and want to you give it to me every morning."

Castle sighed. "I'm good for more than coffee, you know."

* * *

_A/N: The rules of strip crossword are...something only Beckett knows. I'm in the dark too. But feel free to speculate! Also feel free to drop me a review and tell me what you think! Next up: a tender family moment, then the beginnings of a real live plot._


	2. Real Life Strikes Back

**A/N:** _Many thanks for the various adds and thoughtful reviews (and correction of unfortunate typos, **Freewheeler**)!_

**DISCLAIMER:** You know that show _Castle_? Yeah, I don't own it.

* * *

**Solid Ground **

**Chapter 2: Real Life Strikes Back**

* * *

Monday morning marked their self-declared return to Real Life, and the first step for Beckett was figuring out what Real Life looked like now. She knew it couldn't look like the inside of Castle's loft forever, but it was early yet. Early in the day, and early in the discovery process. She would go one step at a time, and the first step was getting out of bed.

She slid gently out of his arms; he responded with some vague grumbling but didn't wake up. She pulled jeans and a white t-shirt out of the bag she'd brought from her apartment and slipped them on. Castle had eagerly offered to clear out a drawer for her yesterday— and then had offered to buy her a dresser— but she declined.

_"I could even clear out half the closet. This side is mostly Halloween costumes anyway."_

_"That's okay. My bag is fine for now."_

_"Too soon?"_

_"Maybe a little. Besides, you never know when you'll need a zombie or space cowboy costume at a moment's notice."_

Kate looked down at Castle, taking advantage of the moment to watch him unself-consciously. He had rolled in his sleep from his back to his side toward the spot she had vacated, his body unconsciously seeking her out. She smiled to remember when she had done the same thing to him on a dirty mattress in a basement, only to flinch away from the idea as soon as she was truly conscious. To be fair, the handcuffs, captivity and hungry tiger were more immediate concerns at the time than dealing with her stubborn head/heart conflict.

Even now she was a little amazed she was actually here, that she had taken such a colossal risk in exposing her heart to someone who had every right to reject her. Near-death mixed with near-loss of the most important person in her life was powerful alchemy, it seemed. But their conscious selves were finally catching up to the unconscious ones that had begun reaching for each other long ago, and she was determined to keep that particular wall down. The person she'd been before her mother's murder had gotten trapped on one side, and the driven, guarded version of herself was on the other.

She did not wish to erase all the things she had become in the last 13 years: the hard-won strength and determination, the thirst for truth she drew from her mother's memory, her compassion for the victims that was borne of experience. But she hoped that the best of the two Kate Becketts could merge into one person, and that New Kate would be comfortable and happy in her skin. And part of what made New Kate happy (so, so happy) was Richard Castle. Her favorite author, her annoying sidekick, her trusted partner and now, she suspected, her one and done. It was a life story worthy of life with an author.

x-x-x-x-x

Kate padded quietly into the kitchen and started the coffee. Lost in thought while she watched the drips gradually fill up the pot, she didn't hear the soft footfalls of someone coming down the stairs.

"Hi, Detective Beckett."

She smiled. "Good morning, Alexis. Please, call me Kate. Especially since I'm not a detective anymore." It still felt weird to say that; she suspected it would be for a while.

"You quit?" Kate nodded in confirmation. "Why?"

"I realized that I need to fight for the things that are important to me if I don't want to lose them. And sometimes fighting for one thing means walking away from another."

Never one to miss subtext, Alexis asked, "And you've decided that dad is worth fighting for?" Her tone held just a hint of challenge.

"Yeah, I have. Can I pour you some coffee?" She wasn't even sure if the girl drank coffee, but the moment felt tenuous, and she instinctively reached out with a small connection.

"Sure, thanks." Alexis accepted the peace offering, then was quiet for a moment. When she spoke, she kept her eyes on the rim of her mug. "You know, besides when dad was married to Gina, this is the first time that one of... that there's been someone here in the morning."

Kate's first reaction was shock laced with disbelief. With Castle's long and well-documented history as a playboy? How was that even possible? But of course it was possible. She had realized long ago that Castle was a good father first, writer second, playboy third. He would have carefully shielded his daughter from that side of his life, and protected their home as a safe and stable place for her. Kate had been so focused on herself and Castle the last few days that she didn't think about the disruption it would be to his daughter to find her here, making coffee like she owned the place.

"I'm so sorry, Alexis. I didn't even think—"

Alexis looked up. "No, you don't need to...that's not why I told you. I just want you to realize what you mean to my dad. You're the first non-wife to be making coffee in the morning because you're the first one he's wanted here, as part of the family. He would do anything for you. He loves you."

"Believe me, I feel the same way about him."

Alexis gave Kate a searching look that reminded her uncannily of the girl's father. "I do believe you. But after everything he's been through this year, if you leave him now after giving him hope, I think it would destroy him. Promise me you won't hurt him."

Kate answered honestly, "I don't think any two people in a relationship can promise never to hurt each other. But I do promise that I will do everything in my power to make him happy."

His daughter nodded thoughtfully. "Then I'm glad you're finally together. Now he can stop not-so-secretly pining." She smiled. "And thanks for treating me like an adult and not feeding me the 'this is between the grown-ups' line."

"Well, you are an adult. Certainly more of an adult than your father. But you'll always be his little girl, and not me or anything else will ever change that."

Alexis smiled softly. "That's another reason I'm glad you're here. For most of my life it's just been me and him. Now Gram is so busy with her school, and I'm going to college, and I'll visit, but not all the time, and...and I'm glad he won't be alone."

Kate marveled at the girl's— no, the young woman's— willingness to share the most important person in her life if it would make him happy. "I'll take good care of him. That I can promise."

x-x-x-x-x

Castle woke up to find Kate's side of the bed empty and had a moment of mild alarm until he heard the clatter of pans and plates. He shrugged into a robe and followed the smell of olive oil into the kitchen, where he found her making an omelette. She looked up and smiled. "Good morning."

He came up to stand behind her, hands on her hips, and nuzzled her neck with a raspy cheek in greeting. "You're up early," he remarked, then reached forward to steal a sliced mushroom from her collection of ingredients. She swatted his hand lightly with the spatula, and he popped the ill-gotten goods into his mouth before turning to pour himself a cup of coffee and sit across the island from her. As much as he enjoyed cooking, he thought he might love watching her cook more.

She folded the contents of the pan in half. "Actually, you're the last one up. Apparently Martha really does have yoga, and Alexis said to tell you that she wanted to get an early start on helping Lanie organize some old files."

She looked up to see him smiling at her, and she knew he was pleased at her offhanded presence in his family's morning routine. To be honest, it pleased her as well. Martha especially had always treated her like one of the family when she visited, and now accepted her new role as perfectly natural, and Kate's earlier conversation with Alexis had left her feeling optimistic about the way New Real Life, Day One, was progressing.

Kate slid the omelette onto a plate and started another one as Castle shook his head. "Her first Monday of post-graduation freedom, and she gets up early to file things. I don't know where I went wrong."

"Apparently the paperwork gene skips a generation. Or two. Maybe I picked the wrong Castle for a partner."

"Quite possibly. But in my defense, at least I'm old enough to buy you a beer after work." He suddenly realized they were talking about their work partnership as if everything were normal. He winced inwardly at his thoughtlessness, but the topic didn't seem to bother her.

"Actually, I need to go into the precinct this morning too. Gates has some paperwork for me to sign."

He took a moment to formulate what he wanted to say next. "Kate, I have to ask once, but say the word and I'll never ask again: are you sure this is what you want? I'm guessing Gates would be happy for the chance to reprimand you and then reinstate you after the suspension. A stern, humorless kind of happy, but still..."

"What's the matter, Castle? Afraid you'll lose all your best Nikki Heat material?"

He didn't take the bait. "You could leave police work and open a felafel cart outside Central Park, and still never cease to inspire me. This is about your life."

Beckett slid the second omelette onto a plate and smiled a little to hear her words echoed back without malice. "Honestly, I don't know yet. For the first time in 13 years I'm not trying to bury myself in my mother's murder, and I'm not trying to bury it inside of me either. I'm trying to accept it and move on. If I can still be a good cop without that demon chasing me to keep me motivated, maybe I'll go back. Or maybe I'll decide I don't want to. But I need some space first to figure that out."

He reached out and surrounded one of her hands with both of his. "I will be here no matter what you decide. Glued to your side, giving you all the space you need. You know that, right?"

She smiled wryly. "I'm starting to get that impression. I'm stuck with you, aren't I?"

"Always." Their eyes locked, and the new possibilities contained in that one word hung in the air.

Beckett's phone rang and jolted them out of their musings. Just as well, thought Castle. No need to spook her with that conversation quite yet.

The caller ID showed an unknown number, and Beckett frowned slightly as she answered, "Beckett."

"Detective Beckett. We've not been introduced; my name is Mr. Smith."

"Mr. Smith." Castle shot her an alarmed look, and she walked around the island to allow him to listen in. "I would say that Castle's told me all about you, but you're not big on sharing personal details, are you?"

"Detective, you may not agree with our methods, but Roy Montgomery knew it was the only way to keep you alive."

Beckett let him have it. "Believe it or not, I don't want to hear it. Thirteen years I've spent trying to unravel the secrets and lies. For thirteen years you've been sitting on the truth. And now that I'm finally ready to do what you always wanted and walk away, you call. Why?"

"I am not the one who demanded you walk away, Detective; I was merely the messenger. I'm calling to remind you that the deal Montgomery made with the people who _do_ wish to harm you is the only thing keeping you alive."

"I'm well aware of that, Mr. Smith. You made it abundantly clear to Castle when you enlisted him to spy for you." She placed a hand gently on his shoulder blade, the gesture at odds with the harsh words and meant to reassure him that she was playing a role. "Why break a lifetime of silence between us to say it again?"

For a few moments there was no sound but the muffled morning traffic outside the loft before he continued. "The equilibrium of the situation has been...disrupted. You are about to receive information that will likely spur you to action. I merely wish to remind you that the moment I no longer hold the file, your life will be forfeit. Choose your actions wisely." Abruptly, the connection ended.

Castle frowned. "I don't like the sound of that. On the Mr. Smith spectrum, he sounded almost panicked."

Kate started thinking out loud. "Before he disappeared, Maddox told me he knew exactly who they were dealing with. If he found Mr. Smith, Maddox could be trying to force him to turn over the papers."

"But why call you?"

"I don't know, Castle, but I've got a bad feeling we're going to find out soon." Right on cue, her phone rang again. "It's the 12th." She hit answer. "Beckett."

"Beckett, this is Captain Gates. We need you to come in right away."

"Yes, sir, I was already planning to come in this morning."

"This isn't about your resignation. Something else has come up. Something that concerns you personally. And Beckett— call Castle in. He'll need to be here as well."

She frowned. "Yes, sir. I'll bring him in with me."

Beckett hung up the phone and with a single shared look they both headed for the bedroom to get ready, omelettes cooling on the counter, forgotten.

As they got dressed, Castle asked, "Does memory fail me, or is this the first time Gates has actually requested my presence in her precinct?"

"This is definitely a first," Kate answered grimly. "And it's on the first day she has a solid reason to ban you, since I'm not there to shadow."

"So why doesn't this feel like a victory?"

"I don't like it either. But let's save the wild speculation until we have at least a few facts to build on."

x-x-x-x-x

They stood side by side in the elevator at the 12th, each of them caught up in thought. Castle looked over at her profile as she watched the number on the floor indicator climb. "How are you doing?" he asked.

She smiled grimly. "I'm not sure if I'm walking through that door as a current or former employee, which feels...a little weird. But otherwise I'm fine. Let's just get this figured out, whatever it is." Turning her head only, she reached out and took his hand, and he laced his fingers though hers.

"Speaking of unclear roles in the precinct..." he squeezed their joined hands, "how should we play this?"

She took a breath and released it. "I think everyone will know soon enough. But—"

He finished her sentence. "—but not today. I understand if you're not ready to throw yet another ball in the air right now."

"It's not that. Although I do kind of like the idea of having you all to myself for a little while longer."

Castle smiled at that thought. "Yeah, me too." So he wasn't the only one. Good.

Beckett continued. "I'm more worried about how Gates will react. Whatever is going on, it sounds like it concerns both of us. But somehow I don't think that will convince her to make an exception to the "partners can't get involved" rule if she knew."

"And we don't want the Iron Gate to slam shut in my face— yes, good point. So we play it cool."

Her lips quirked in a half-smile. "Or at least play it inconclusive."

"Do you think that making out in the break room would ruin our plausible deniability? Because I've been imagining some very diverting lunch plans."

"Buck up, Castle. Let's see that poker face."

With a final squeeze, they dropped their hands as the elevator dinged and the doors opened on the longest day of their lives.

* * *

_A/N: And here we go into Plotland. Feedback always appreciated._


	3. Checkmate

**Solid Ground**  
**3. Checkmate**

* * *

As soon as they stepped into the bullpen, Castle had a sinking feeling in his stomach. It was the way everyone was looking at him. He had half-expected that his delight at their status change would be impossible to hide, so he was prepared for smirks, possibly a few snarky comments. What he was getting instead was...concern. Sympathy. Pity, even. And it wasn't aimed at Beckett; he would swear it was directed at him. Which made no sense. Beckett noticed it too, and they exchanged a puzzled frown as they approached Ryan, who was standing by Beckett's desk, waiting for them.

There was a moment of awkward silence as the three friends struggled with how to start.

"Hey," said Beckett.

"Hey," Ryan replied, then after a beat, "How are you doing?"

She unconsciously touched the base of her throat. "A little sore, but I'm alive, thanks to you." He nodded in acknowledgment, and she went on. "I'm sorry, Kevin. I put you in an impossible position, but you did the right thing."

Ryan grimaced. "I wish Javi saw it that way. He still won't return my calls."

Castle, who had been subtly hanging back, stepped in. "Give it time. He'll come around."

The detective half-smiled like he wasn't quite sure that was true, but deeply hoped so, then changed the subject. "Guys, there's been a...development."

Beckett looked at Castle, and he watched the play of emotions flash across her features. He recognized her deeply-ingrained cop instincts warring with a genuine desire to put her mother's case behind her, plus a hint of fear that it would suck her right back in again.

To be honest, he was glad to see the fear. It meant she recognized the danger, and she thought she had something to lose. Whether she was thinking of her own life, or their potential life together, Castle would take either or both in place of the self-destructive monomania of last week's Kate Beckett.

Castle broached the topic for both of them. "Have you found Maddox?"

Ryan shook his head. "No. We're not even sure he's involved, but..." He looked at Castle, and again Rick saw that underlying look of sympathy.

"What? Why is everyone looking at me like there's something they're not telling me?"

"Because there is." Gates approached Ryan's desk. She looked at Beckett, then at Castle. "Come with me." She led them into the conference room and they gathered facing the monitor.

Gates closed the door. "Forty-five minutes ago, we received a video via email. The message was sent through a series of anonymizing websites, and so far we haven't been able to trace it." She hit play on the keyboard, and the viewer opened to mostly darkness. Nothing was visible but shades of shadow, although there was a slight sense of movement in the center of the frame. A voice began, digitally altered and distorted.

"Detective Beckett. You've been his muse. Can you be his savior? You know what I want. You have until 6 p.m." Suddenly, the lights went on and revealed the source of the movement in the room. Just as suddenly, the video ended. For those few seconds, they saw a young woman restrained in a chair, duct tape covering her mouth, her blue eyes wide with fear and defiance.

Alexis.

x-x-x-x-x

Castle felt like he was being pulled backwards by his stomach through a long tunnel; the people he had been standing with— Gates, Ryan, Kate— suddenly seemed very far away. He took an awkward step backward and sat hard into a chair. Did he find it by himself, or did Beckett help him? He wasn't sure. All he could see was that image burned into his retina, even though the screen had gone blank so quickly. His daughter, frightened and alone, and it was entirely his fault.

x-x-x-x-x

Castle sat silently, elbows on his knees, head down. Beckett was kneeling in front of him, her smaller hands surrounding his larger ones. He squeezed back tightly but didn't say a word. Silence from him in any situation was so unusual, and it unnerved her. She had asked Ryan and Gates to give them a minute, and with a silent nod they had both left the room.

"Castle, I'm here. I'm right here." She leaned forward to press her forehead to his. They stayed that way for several labored breaths from him, and she murmured reassurances she wasn't sure she believed until he was ready to talk. When he did, his voice was flat and calm, oddly stripped of emotion by some defense mechanism.

"She was upset when I went back to you after the shooting. She told me I wasn't a cop, and I was going to get hurt, or get her hurt. She got two out of three right."

Beckett gripped his hands more tightly. "No. You are not going to blame yourself for this. And I'm not going to blame myself either, though God knows it's more my fault than yours. We are going to blame that sonofabitch Maddox, and whoever is pulling his strings. And we are going to find Alexis."

x-x-x-x-x

Beckett left to get him a bottle of water. When she got back, Castle was standing at the window, looking out at the street. "Alexis and I used to walk by here sometimes when she was little. There was this great little ice cream place two blocks down..." He continued fixing his gaze out onto some unseen point in the past.

She came to stand a few feet to his side. "Dudley's Double Dip. I remember it."

He smiled. "She loved the little mini scoop they put on the top of every cone. The 'dudley'. After they closed I had to put dudley's on top of all her ice cream for years. Even now, when she—" He cut off, unwilling to talk about now when now was suddenly so precarious.

He changed tracks. "At least now we know why Mr. Smith called you. Maddox couldn't get the file from him, so he's forcing us to get it for him."

She turned to face him. "Castle, I promise you, we will do everything in our power to get her back, even if I have to break down every door in Manhattan myself."

He finally turned from the window and looked at her with a sad smile. "I know you will. I know that if anyone can find Alexis in time, it's you and me and the people here. Maybe we'll even succeed. But even if we do find out where he's holding her, we can't act on it. You know he'll smell us coming a mile away— he always does— and he'll kill her. If we do nothing, he'll kill her. And if we somehow get him what he wants, he'll kill you. It's checkmate."

Kate didn't bother to deny any of those scenarios. "So we do what we always do. We follow every lead, we learn all that we can, as fast as we can, and we see what pops. There has to be another option. Another move."

He still had that dull, defeated look in his eyes, and she hated it. "Hey." She took his head in both her hands and bored into his eyes with her own. "We can do this. You are not losing Alexis."

"And what about you?"

She took hold of his hand. "Not losing me either. I didn't survive a bullet _and_ a one-way flight off a roof from that bastard to let him kill me now, not when we're finally..." Together, moving forward, happy; she let him fill in the blank. "It's my turn to be the solid one. Do you trust me?"

"I trust you with my life."

"Do you trust me with your daughter's?"

He didn't look any less scared for Alexis, or less quietly terrified that his writer's mind could not think of a single happy ending right then. Even so, he pulled Beckett into a tight embrace, his arms around her shoulders, her head against his chest.

"You're the only one I would. The only one."

x-x-x-x-x

They got to work. But first, Beckett had a closed-door meeting with Gates in her office. Beckett told her honestly that she wasn't ready to officially withdraw her resignation, but asked permission to stay active until after this crisis was resolved. The captain agreed that given the unusual circumstances, she would set the paperwork aside for now.

"I have so many things come across my desk every day, I'm not surprised that this form took several days to process."

"Thank you, sir."

"How is Mr. Castle holding up?"

"He's shocked, and scared. But he's ready to help us find Alexis."

Gates looked at her sternly. "Let me be understood. Mr. Castle is here as the father of the victim, and because the timeline is too short to argue with all of you about his level of involvement. But the moment I see him interfering by being too much father and not enough...whatever he usually is, I will lock him in the waiting lounge and send you in with regular updates. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

Beckett turned to leave, but Gates wasn't finished. "And how about you?"

"Sir?"

"I know you consider him your partner, and you know his family personally." Gates found it difficult to accept such an unorthodox pairing as a recognized partnership, but Beckett appreciated that she was at least trying to acknowledge the connection. "I'm only allowing your involvement in this case because the kidnapper demands it. But do you believe you can keep a cool head here? If not, I will make you the spokesman with Maddox, or whoever this is, and leave the investigating to another detective."

"Sir, no one knows this case like Castle and I do. It's definitely Maddox. And we're the only ones capable of getting him what he wants."

"What _does_ he want, Detective?"

Here it was. Beckett had wondered how long they could keep Montgomery's— their— secret after the debacle of last week. She decided to start with a simplified version of the truth and see if that would satisfy Gates for now.

"Maddox works for a very powerful man. We don't know who he is yet, but almost 20 years ago he used dirty cops and dirty money to establish himself. There is a file of information out there with enough evidence to bring this man down, and he wants it destroyed."

"And you know the location of this file?"

"No. But we might be able to find the man who does."

"Very well. Proceed as you see fit, but don't forget: you are an NYPD detective— for now anyway. As long as that remains true, you will play by the rules. Just because it's Castle's daughter doesn't give you the right to take the law into your own hands. You do that, and you're done." With that final warning, she handed Beckett her badge and gun.

"Thank you, sir," she replied, and tucked the gun into her belt. She looked down at the badge. Everything she had become in the last 13 years, for better or worse, was etched into the metal of that shield. If she could use it now, even if it was one last time, to protect Alexis, it would all be worth it.

"There's one other thing, sir. To give us our best chance at getting Alexis back alive..."

"Yes?"

"I'm gonna need my full team."

x-x-x-x-x

Ryan, Beckett and Castle were facing the white board, beginning to compile the facts and establish a timeline. The process was comforting in its familiarity, like flipping all the pieces of a new puzzle face up and starting to sort them.

They were still getting set up when another missing piece turned up.

"So I hear that Maddox needs more convincing to get the hell outta Dodge." They turned to see Esposito standing behind them.

Beckett answered, "Yeah. You in?"

"I'm in." He turned to Castle and put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll get her back, bro." Castle nodded in return, still not ready to put his game face on and feign confidence.

Esposito turned halfway towards Ryan, arms crossed, and went silent for a moment. Then he said, "You ratted us out. You ratted _me_ out, your own partner. I still can't believe you did that."

"Espo—"

"But it was the bravest thing I've ever seen you do. And that includes the time you went on a blind date with my cousin Esmerelda."

"Does this mean you're not, not speaking to me anymore?"

"Do I really have to answer that?"

"Yeah, I guess not."

They never fully faced each other the entire time, but the exchange seemed to satisfy them both. Beckett and Castle traded a suppressed smile to see the boys make up in a way that was so "guy" and "old married couple" at the same time.

"Down to business," Ryan said, and turned again to the white board. "What time did Alexis leave home this morning?" He directed his question to Castle, hovering a marker over the as-yet-empty timeline.

Castle shot a glance at Beckett, who sighed. Under the circumstances, there wasn't much room for playing it inconclusive, at least not within their team. "It was about 8:15. I was making coffee, and Castle was still asleep."

Ryan and Esposito reacted in perfect unison. Their eyebrows shot up. Then their eyes traveled from Beckett, to Castle, then to each other to confirm that yes, they both just heard that. In different circumstances, it would have been funny. Actually, it still was funny, but there were more important things to talk about right now, and they all knew it.

Beckett went on. "She told me that she was heading to Lanie's office to help her with a project."

"How was she getting there?" Esposito asked.

Castle spoke up. "She usually takes a cab. And she usually pays by credit card."

Espo nodded. "Good. Then we can track whether she used it this morning." He headed to his desk to follow up.

Beckett turned to Ryan. "What have the tech guys found out about this video?"

"Not much. Time stamp confirms it was recorded at 8:47 a.m. GPS tag was stripped prior to sending."

Beckett picked up a marker and added those pieces to the timeline. "We have a fairly small perimeter anyway, based on how quickly he made and sent the message."

Castle asked, "What about the video itself? Anything in the background noise, or maybe the shape of the room?"

Ryan shook his head. "Lab boys are still analyzing, but so far it looks like he dampened any outside sounds pretty effectively, and since he shot it entirely in front of a black curtain, there's nothing to go on in the background." Ryan looked at Castle like he was worried the news would upset him, but Castle just nodded once. He hadn't really expected Maddox to make that kind of mistake.

Beckett moved on. "Okay. Unless the tech lab gets back to us with something unusual, let's assume that all we have from the video is what he wants us to have. Ryan, let's get eyes on her as soon as she leaves her front door. Security footage from Castle's building, traffic cams, anything you can find. Let's figure out the moment she disappears, and how they transported her." He nodded and strode off.

Castle turned to her. "What about me?"

"You and I will get to know Mr. Smith. And I think I know who can introduce us."

x-x-x-x-x

_A/N: True confessions: my reasons for taking on a big plot are mostly relationship-based. Once there aren't so many heavy conspiracy arc questions hanging over their heads, I can return them to a happier, banter-ier state of play. So fear not: angst may endure for a night, but a happy Caskett comes with the morning. ;)_


	4. Filling in the Blank

_Previously:_  
_"You and I will get to know Mr. Smith," said Beckett. "And I know who can introduce us."_

* * *

**Solid Ground**  
**Chapter 4: Filling in the Blank**

The Montgomery's home on 1st Avenue was a cheerful two-story with well-tended flower beds lining the front walk. Kate had called ahead, and Evelyn met them as they approached the front door.

"Kate, Rick, please come in." As she led them down the hall, Kate glanced through the open office door. The glass in the window had been replaced, but the spidering bullet hole in the clock face still bore witness to that week's break-in.

In the living room, Evelyn urged them to sit down. "What's happened? You said on the phone it was urgent."

Castle opened the large manila envelope he was carrying and took out a photo album.

"My wedding album!" exclaimed Evelyn. "Why on earth would a thief take that?"

"He was looking for someone you knew." Castle turned to the page with the blank square. "This is the only picture missing. Did you or Roy take it out?"

"I know I didn't. And it wasn't missing the last time I looked. We flipped through this book together on our last anniversary, and I would have noticed." Evelyn's face registered subdued grief as she realized that had been the last anniversary she would ever spend with her husband. And here was their wedding album, with every face obscured by a fat black 'X'.

Kate pressed on gently. "Evelyn, I'm so sorry to drag you through this, but it's very important that we find out who was in that photo. Do you remember?"

"I'm not sure." She shook her head. "This is so strange. A stranger broke into my house to find one old photo of one of my wedding guests? Kate, what is this about?"

Castle answered. "My daughter Alexis has been kidnapped. The man who took her wants something that we don't have, and this man," he tapped the empty space, "is the only one who can get it."

Her eyes were suddenly filled with the compassion of a woman who has two daughters of her own. "Oh, Rick. I'm so sorry. Let me see," she flipped the pages back and forth to get some context. "It must have been from the reception. But I'm not sure which...wait." She tapped the empty spot. "This was a picture of Mark."

Beckett felt her pulse quicken. "Mark? Mark who?"

"Mark...what was it...Mark Pinsky. Roy knew him from work, I think, way back in his rookie days. I can picture the photo now. Not very interesting, actually. It was Roy and I from the side and Mark is standing nearby. But we put it in the album because it was the only photo of him we ever managed to get."

"He didn't like cameras?" asked Castle, sensing a relevant detail.

"That's putting it mildly. It's like he had a sixth sense about it. When someone was snapping a picture, he was suddenly somewhere else. I doubt he knew this photo even existed. Roy lost touch with him long ago, as far as I know. Hadn't mentioned him in years."

"Do you know how to contact him, or where he works?" asked Kate.

"He worked for the DA back then, but after a few years he moved on and I have no idea what he's doing now. I'll check in my old address book, but it's been 15 or 20 years at least."

While she went to the office to find the address (thank goodness she was so organized), Beckett reached over to take hold of Castle's hand where it rested on his thigh. "How are you doing?"

He squeezed back with some of the tension he was trying not to show. "Honestly, I've never been this scared in my life. But at least now we have a lead: Mark Pinsky. Think we can find him?"

"We've tracked down people with a lot less to go on than this. We'll find him."

"But will we find him in time?"

Evelyn came back in before Kate could answer, address in hand. She warned them again that it was the address where they'd mailed his wedding invitation, and it hadn't been updated since.

She led them out. When they got to the front door she paused with her hand on the handle.

"The day he died, Roy stood right here in this hallway and said goodbye to me and the girls like he knew it was the last time he would see us. My husband was a good man, Detective. I know that for a fact. But I also know he wasn't perfect. Looking back, I'm sure there was something going on that Roy didn't want me to know about.

"You two need to do whatever it takes to bring that girl home. If that means telling the world about my husband's sins, don't hesitate. Roy would be the first to tell you that his reputation is worth nothing next to an innocent life."

She opened the door and placed a gentle hand on Castle's arm. "Your baby girl is coming home. You have to live today like you believe that, or you'll be no good to her."

He nodded gratefully, both for her encouragement and her permission. "Thank you."

He and Beckett got into her cruiser, and she started up the engine. "Let's go find a ghost."

x-x-x-x-x

They returned to the 12th and checked in with the rest of the team. Ryan had discovered that Alexis did not use her credit card that morning, and so far none of the cab companies had logged a pickup at Castle's address within the time window.

"So he must have gotten her practically right outside our door," Castle said, burying for now the quiet rage that Maddox would come so near to his family's safe space, and the guilt that he was so close when it happened, sleeping. "I need to talk to Eduardo, find out if he saw anything."

"I already talked to the doorman," said Esposito. "He says Alexis left the building around quarter after eight, and she walked maybe a block or two before she hailed a cab."

Ryan continued, "but we've already talked to the company he identified, and they have no record of a pickup."

"My building has security cameras inside and out. Did they get anything?"

"They're sending us the footage any minute now," said Esposito, "but Eduardo thought she was past the camera coverage before she got in the cab."

Beckett's mouth tightened. "And I bet the kidnapper knew that. Still, we may get lucky and get a shot of the cab driving by the building."

Ryan sounded a little tentative as he asked, "Beckett, what else can you tell us about what this guy wants? I know you wanted us to focus on tracing Alexis, but we don't have much else to go on here."

She had told them that Maddox wanted information, and that it was related to Montgomery's past. Beyond that, she'd asked them to trust her that the less they knew, the better.

Castle filled in a few more pieces for them. "Montgomery knew that these men wanted Beckett dead because she was getting too close to the truth about her mother's murder." The boys nodded; they knew this already. "In fact, he had hidden a set of files that implicate the man behind it all. Before he died, he sent them to a man he trusted as leverage to protect her, only they arrived after she'd been shot."

Esposito asked, "And that would be this Mr. Smith you asked Evelyn about?"

Beckett nodded. "She told us that his name is actually Mark Pinsky. He dropped off the radar a while ago, so we'll need to do some digging. Find everything you can on him. He knew Montgomery back in his rookie days and worked in the DA's office, at least briefly. And 'Mr. Smith' may be more than just a phony deep throat name, so check the system for Smiths during that time as well." They raised their eyebrows at the task, and Beckett grimaced a little. "I know, I know, but we've got to try."

Esposito snagged a passing rookie on the way to his desk. "Hey, kid! Can you spell 'Smith'? Good. You're with us."

Karpowsky called out from across the room. "Beckett, we've got a body."

Beckett frowned; she thought everyone knew she was semi-resigned. "I'm not actually—"

"It's a cabbie. And the cab is missing."

That got her attention. Beckett instructed sharply, "Call the company and get his medallion number. I want an APB out on that thing now!"

Castle look at her gravely. "He's getting bolder. A lot bolder."

"That's when they start making mistakes," Beckett pointed out.

"It's also when more people end up dead."

x-x-x-x-x

Her nose really itched.

For all the times her dad had asked her to tie, tape, or Saran Wrap him to a chair for research, he had never mentioned how itchy your nose gets when you can't scratch it for hours on end.

Maybe he should've left himself tied up longer, to get the full effect. She was sure he could use her new insight in his next Nikki Heat novel. If she weren't already his dependent, she would consider asking for a cut of the royalties. Maybe she would ask anyway.

Alexis shifted again in the chair, tightening and loosening her muscles as much as she could against the restraints to try and alleviate her growing stiffness. She needed something to focus on besides trying not to be terrified.

She was in a warehouse. Of course she was. Why was it always a warehouse? It didn't seem derelict, but it was certainly empty right now, except for the two men who had kidnapped her.

She'd been distracted as she left the loft, thinking about Kate and her dad, and how life would be different now, but maybe not in a bad way. After all, she was leaving for college soon; change was inevitable. And he seemed really, really happy. When there weren't any cabs right outside the door, she decided to walk a little to clear her head until the next one happened by.

Then she'd spotted an open cab, or maybe it spotted her, since the cabbie seemed to be pulling over almost before she hailed him. That should've been her first clue. When they'd turned the corner, a man opened the door, crowded in next to her, and pressed her down against the seat, and with a dark bag over her head and the click of a gun cocking, they had come here. Wherever here was.

The faux-cabbie was obviously in charge. He gave all the instructions, and it was his voice they recorded on the video. He came into the center of the cavernous room and faced Alexis while he addressed his nearby lackey, who had been left to keep an eye on her for the last 2 hours.

"How is our guest? Behaving herself?"

"Sure, yeah," the man shrugged. "She's just sitting there."

Her mouth wasn't taped anymore, not since they finished recording the video. She looked the man in the eyes and tried to keep the quaver out of her voice as she said, "Why are you doing this? Detective Beckett quit looking for your boss. She quit her job. Isn't that what you wanted?"

The man smiled without humor. "No, we wanted something else. We only settled for her silence. Now we want her help instead, and you're the carrot."

She didn't want the answer, but Alexis couldn't help but ask: "What happens if she can't get you what you want?"

He looked back at her, his face inscrutable. "Then you have a problem."

* * *

_A/N: As my favorite teacher used to say: Questions? Comments? Snide remarks?_


	5. Good Neighbors

_**A/N:** Happy 4th of July, whether it's a holiday for you or not! This is kind of a short one, but the previous chapter grew an appendage. Thanks for all the feedback thus far!  
_

* * *

_Previously:_

_She didn't want the answer, but Alexis couldn't help but ask: "What happens if she can't get you what you want?"_

_He looked back at her, his face inscrutable. "Then you have a problem."_

* * *

**Solid Ground**  
**5. Good Neighbors**

* * *

Kate found Castle in the break room, making coffee. She suspected he was seeking routine, the comfort of familiar motions, more than the caffeine. She came up beside him and softly asked, "What do you need from me right now?"

He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it uncharacteristically messy. "Normally, I would want the facts. You would tell me what we know, and I would offer up a scenario or two. Then you would shoot them all down." Her lips quirked, but she didn't protest. "I would defend one, and you would relent and follow up. We would build it up together and weave in the new information as it came. You would translate 'writer' into 'cop' and make the idea work.

He looked back at the coffee cup. "But I don't want that today. I don't want to imagine where she is, or how scared she is, or what might happen at 6 o'clock. I just need for this to be over. I need for you and Alexis to both be all right." He started to lift the coffee cup, but it was shaking in his hand.

Kate laid a stilling hand over his until he set the cup down, and she removed his fingers from the handle to take hold of his hand. "Come on." She led him through the break room to the back hallway, where they had slightly more privacy. He leaned back against the wall, and she stood facing him, hands resting above his elbows in a not-quite-embrace.

"How about I build you a story?" she said. "The Dragon is running scared. We were getting close to something, something big, and it's forcing him to take risks like he hasn't done in years. But monsters are dangerous when they're scared, and now he's changed the game.

"You were right: this is a war, and we can't win, because playing by their rules means using people like pawns, and that's not who we are. So we are going to find Mark Pinsky and get those files. Then we are going to give them to Maddox. No negotiating, no maneuvering, no outsmarting."

Castle shook his head. "So you're just going to lay down like a sacrificial lamb? I can't let you do that, Kate, not even for Alexis. There must be another way."

Her voice quietly intensified. "Listen to me, Castle. Once he has the files, Maddox will try to kill me. I know that. But at least I'll have a chance; I've done it twice before. But if he doesn't get the files, he _will_ kill Alexis. Then he'll find another way to get what he wants and try to kill me anyway. This way we can save Alexis, and at least control the timing."

She reached up to smooth his hair where he'd been worrying it. "For the record, I have no desire to sacrifice myself to Maddox. I've got plans for you and me."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. It wouldn't be fair to deprive you of your crossword rematch next Sunday." Her words were teasing, but he heard the things she wasn't saying. Since he was Castle, he did say them.

"I love you." He took hold of her waist and pulled her snugly against him as he kissed her, needing that connection. The kiss she returned was filled with unspoken words, and far too short, but they were already pushing their luck if they didn't want Gates to know quite yet.

They walked back through the door to the break room to find Ryan and Esposito making coffee and suddenly very interested in their conversation about creamer levels. The boys had been giving them a moment, she realized, and possibly guarding the door. She gave them a small smile in acknowledgment. They may not know all the details yet about her and Castle, but they still had their backs.

Esposito began, "So there's no news yet on the cab, but the driver was shot with a 9mm."

"The same as Orlando Costas?" asked Castle.

"We're waiting on ballistics, but Lanie says the MO looks the same."

Beckett led the way back to their desks. "Where are we on Mark Pinsky?"

Ryan checked his notes. "He worked for the DA around the same time Montgomery was a rookie cop, then he fell off the grid completely, at least under that name. We're still digging through Smith Mountain."

"Okay, keep me posted. Castle and I are going to run down his last known address, see if we get lucky."

x-x-x-x-x

**"Mark? Sure, I remember him. Quiet fella. Nice and quiet. I like that in a neighbor, ya know?"**

After striking out with the current resident and both the adjacent units at Pinsky's old apartment, they had found their stroke of luck in the form of Mr. Peterson across the hall. Regardless of what he valued in a neighbor, Mr. Peterson was mostly deaf and anything but quiet. Every word out of his mouth was cheerfully bellowed.

"Do you know where we can find him?" asked Beckett.

**"What's that, sweetheart?"**

She repeated the question at a yell.

**"I don't know exactly. He moved years ago, never said where. Real suddenly, too. Now the new guy has cats. Two of 'em. Makes me sneeze."** He sniffed.

Steering him back on topic, Castle asked loudly, "Were there any friends or relatives who came to visit Mark? Anyone else who might know how to find him?"

The man shook his head. "**Not that I ever saw. Like I said, quiet guy. Kept to himself.**"

Beckett was ready to admit defeat on this lead and turned to leave. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Peterson. If you think of anything—"

**"Now wait a minute, I wasn't finished,"** he declared. **"I don't know his address exactly, but I did see him the other day."**

Beckett and Castle both froze and turned back to face him. "What?" "Where?"

**"I was visiting an old army buddy, done real well for himself. Lives in a fancy building on the Upper East. I was waiting for the elevator, and there he was, my old neighbor! I said hello, but he ignored me."** Castle felt a moment of sympathy for anyone trying to ignore Mr. Peterson. **"So I said it again, and he told me I had the wrong person, that he wasn't Pinsky, and then he hustled off somewhere."**

"Are you sure it was him?" asked Castle.

Mr. Peterson looked slightly annoyed. **"Of course I'm sure! I may be deaf, but I'm not blind _or_ senile."**

Beckett got the address of the building and smiled. "Thanks again, sir."

**"Anytime, beautiful. And if you find Mark, tell him I said hello. Again."**

They stepped into the apartment's elevator and exchanged a cautiously hopeful look.

Castle asked, "What do you say we deliver Mr. Peterson's message? Maybe a few decibels down, though."

Beckett smiled tightly. "Let's do that. While we're at it, I've got a few choice words of my own to add."

x-x-x-x-x

Despite the sunny afternoon outside, the lighting in the dignified study was subdued, the curtains drawn in favor of shaded desk and floor lamps. A man was sitting at the large desk, but he wasn't working. He was waiting.

When a knock sounded at the door, he didn't seem surprised. He pushed back his chair, stood up, and crossed to the door. He opened it to reveal the two faces he had been expecting.

Beckett spoke first. "Mr. Smith, I presume?"

"Roy did not exaggerate your abilities; you found me quickly." He opened the door wider and stepped aside. "Come in. It's time you heard the whole story."

* * *

_Next up: the whole story! Kind of. ;) Thoughts?_


	6. Mr Smith

_Previously:_

_Beckett spoke first. "Mr. Smith, I presume?"_

_"Roy did not exaggerate your abilities; you found me quickly." He opened the door wider and stepped aside. "Come in. It's time you heard the whole story."_

* * *

**Solid Ground **  
**6. Mr. Smith**

* * *

Castle protested as Mr. Smith led them into his study. "We don't have time for the whole story. You know what we're up against."

"Yes, Cole Maddox has your daughter."

Kate said, "And we have until 6 o'clock to meet his demands. So how about we skip to the part where you tell us where the files are?"

"If you came here to force my hand, you'll be disappointed. Maddox already tried that, and they're not here."

Beckett did not accept his offer to sit down. "We assumed as much. I'm not going to hold a gun to your head, if that's what you're thinking."

"Then why have you come?" the older man asked. "Did you think I would just hand them over if you asked nicely? I sympathize with your situation, but—"

Castle cut in with barely controlled emotion. "Sympathize? You don't have any children, do you? If you did, you wouldn't need to ask why I've come. My child is scared and alone, tied to a chair less than five miles from home, knowing she might die. I would hire a private army if I thought it would save her, but I know what these people are capable of too well to believe that it would. What Maddox is doing _is_ holding a gun to my head."

It was the first time he had referred so explicitly to Alexis's situation, and Kate's heart broke to see a glimpse of what must have been running through his mind all day, over and over, in a dozen permutations. Right now he was a hostage of his own imagination and this forced helplessness as surely as his daughter was of Maddox.

Even in the face of a frantic father, Smith stayed calm. "This is bigger than just one girl, no matter how important she is to you. In the last 20 years, this man has been responsible for the deaths of dozens of people. Innocent and corrupt, men, women and children; it makes no difference to him who dies, if it gets him what he wants."

"Who is he?" Beckett asked.

Smith sat down. "He started small. A city councilman with no experience but a lot of charisma. I had a bottom-rung job in the DA's office. They had me indexing and filing a backlog of closed files. I noticed the councilman's name mentioned in passing in several cases, mostly involving small-time criminals and mob characters at first, and none of them ever went to trial, even though there was usually enough evidence to move forward. I saw an acquaintance listed as the arresting officer in one case."

"Roy Montgomery?"

He nodded. "We had crossed paths on several occasions and struck up a casual friendship. Before I brought my concerns to the DA, I met with Roy. That meeting saved my life.

"He warned me that the councilman was dangerous; that Roy and some other cops were already caught in his web. If I ever told anyone of my suspicions, my career and possibly my life would soon be over. We agreed that day to save a few key police files for future use, for a day when we had more leverage than a rookie cop and the DA's errand boy could ever manage."

Beckett asked the question of her life for the last time: "Mr. Smith, _who is he_?"

The answer came without fanfare: "Lucas Drake."

"_Senator_ Drake?" Castle asked. "The heir apparent of the Appropriations Committee?"

Smith nodded. "He's expecting an appointment to chairman next session, the youngest one in committee history. He cannot afford even the hint of a scandal before then."

The ruthless efforts to squelch any possible connection between him and his past were starting to make sense.

Castle's voice was dripping with disdain. "So you've spent the last 20 years watching him rise to power over the backs of innocent people, and done nothing."

Smith shook his head. "Not nothing, Mr. Castle. Waited. The timing of this information rests on a knife's edge. Release it at the wrong time and Drake could suppress or divert the damage. Choose just the right moment, and it will bring his house crashing down around him."

"Then choose this moment!" Castle yelled, then he took a breath. "Do you want me to beg? Then I'm begging you. Give us the files, and we will find another way to bring him down. Please. I will do anything you ask."

There was a hint of sympathy in the older man's voice as he said, "I'm sorry, Mr. Castle. I truly am. But I can't."

x-x-x-x-x

Castle was silent all the way back to the car. Once they were seated inside, he said, "My mother doesn't know yet. I need to tell her that— I need to tell her."

"Of course." Kate started the car and steered it toward the loft. The near-peak daylight hours this time of year meant that it didn't seem very late, but they were both acutely aware of the time. It was after 3 o'clock, and they had less than 3 hours to find a miracle.

She pulled up outside his building and turned to him. "The boys and I will keep digging into Smith's financials and associates. Maybe we can find a safe deposit box, or someone he visited recently. This isn't over yet."

"I know. I just...need to be home for a while. Call me when you know more?"

"I will." She wanted so much to say more, to reach out, but the bleak sadness he was trying to hide hung like a veil in front of his eyes and made her unsure how to respond. He answered her uncertainty by reaching a hand to the side of her face and running his thumb over her cheekbone.

"I'll see you later."

Kate watched him walk through the entrance and out of sight. She realized with a flash of clarity that if anything happened to Alexis, it would break him, and end them. Even if he wanted to make it work, every time he looked at Kate he would see the image from that video, and whether he blamed her or not, it would poison everything they wanted to be.

She was too pragmatic to believe that she literally could not live without Richard Castle in her life, but she knew now with absolute certainty that she didn't want to.

That left only one solution in the time they had left. She had to get those files.

She pulled away from the curb and drove back the way they'd come, back to Mr. Smith.

x-x-x-x-x

Castle opened his front door and looked around. All was quiet, but the kitchen had been cleaned up, so his mother was probably around somewhere. Last night's DVD cases were sitting out near the TV, and the sweater Kate had borrowed when she complained about his overactive air conditioning was draped over the back of the couch. Today's mail was on the counter; his eyes fell on a letter from Columbia addressed to Alexis.

This must be what purgatory feels like, he thought. The in-between time where all you can do is wait, one step from hell.

"Richard, is that you? Is Kate with you?" Martha appeared at the top of the stairs and headed down.

"No, it's just me."

"Where did you two go in such a hurry? You left quite a mess in the kitchen,and you didn't even touch your omelets!"

"Mother—"

"Don't worry, I tidied up, but Beckett or not you've got KP tonight, kiddo."

"Mother." His serious tone finally got her attention.

"Richard, what's wrong? You look awful. Did you and Kate have a fight already?"

"Sit down. There's something I have to tell you."

x-x-x-x-x

Alexis wasn't just scared; she was worried. Worried about her dad and Gram, and what they were going through right now. She remembered how frantic she had felt when they were trapped in the bank, and now their places were reversed. It seemed like scared ought to be the worse feeling, but worried was eating away at her composure all the more for being less imposing, like mice nibbling away at the walls. Her dad was probably blaming himself for this. She was surprised to realize she was worried about Kate as well, that she had unconsciously begun grouping the woman with her family, or maybe just grouping her with her father.

She was also hungry, and bored, and had to pee, despite one very awkward bathroom break earlier. Had she ever just sat in one place for 8 hours doing absolutely nothing? She had a new-found respect for monks who meditated all day. Her mind often moved in different directions than her father's, but it was just as active, and now it kept circling back to two simple thoughts, over and over, like an involuntary mantra.

_I don't want to die._

_I want my daddy._

x-x-x-x-x

Mr. Smith came through the doorway to his study and stopped short when he found someone sitting in the chair across from his desk.

"Detective. Where's Mr. Castle?"

"He's home. It's just you and me."

He cautiously crossed nearer to his desk. "Now that we're alone, is it time to hold that gun to my head?"

Beckett considered him. "If I thought it would get me what I need, I might consider it. But no. I'm here to do you a favor, Mr. Smith. I'm going to tell you your future." She indicated his chair, and after a moment's hesitation he sat down.

"See, I've been where you're going next. You've been hiding from this for 20 years, but now it's found you. He's found you. And now you'll start wondering every morning why you're still alive, and whether you'll still be alive tomorrow.

"You'll sit back for a quiet glass of wine and jump every time the cat meows. You'll wonder every time you leave the house if someone has you in crosshairs, or if your brakes will mysteriously fail. You've seen the lightning, Mr. Smith. Now you'll spend the rest of your life waiting for the thunder."

Kate leaned forward in the chair and put her elbows on her knees. "Is that really how you want to live? Wouldn't you rather make your life count for something besides surviving? Montgomery made his stand, and he died saving me so I could keep fighting, keep living. Now you have the power to save this girl. Maybe someone will find another way to get to Drake; maybe they won't. But I found out this year that saving one girl can change the world. It might be the the only way."

The flash of recognition in his eyes told Beckett that he knew something of Pandora and the Chinese official's daughter.

"You talked about the knife's edge, Mark? Well, this is it. Make sure you're on the right side. You know my number." With that, she stood up and walked out. He'd barely said a word, but he had listened. Beckett hoped he had heard.

x-x-x-x-x

Castle and Martha sat at the table, hands grasped between them. His mother had been through the shock, then the anger, then she had asked all the questions she could think of that might give her hope. Now they were quiet.

Her son spoke. "It's not over yet. We may still find the files."

"And if you do, what's to stop this Maddox from killing Kate?"

"I don't know. Probably nothing. In the end all my deception didn't matter. She walked away and they're still using us as pawns." He stood up. "I should go back to the precinct. I have to at least try to help."

A knock at the door saved him the trip; Castle opened it to find Beckett.

"Hey."

"Hey." He gestured her in.

Martha approached them and folded Kate into a hug, then held her at eye contact distance. "Kate, how are you?"

"Me? I'm fine." She wanted to say how deeply, horribly sorry she was that Alexis had gotten caught up in this, but it didn't seem like enough. She felt awkward accepting sympathy when the woman's only grandchild was the one in immediate danger.

Martha narrowed her eyes. "I know a bad actor when I see one, and you are not fine. None of us are." There was no accusation in her voice, only shared fear. "And before you try to apologize for bringing this down upon us, don't bother. From what Richard has told me, this is not about the search for your mother's killer. It's about this man using Richard's love for Alexis, and your love for Richard, to get what he wants. And I will not hear you apologize for that."

Kate looked from Martha to Castle, the people who had chosen to draw her in instead of casting her out when it was time to circle the wagons, and she knew that Mr. Smith would call. She knew it would happen because she so desperately needed it to.

"There's something else," she said. "We still might get Maddox what he wants, but all we can do now is wait."

x-x-x-x-x

Mark Pinsky sat in his study, alone at last after far too many uninvited guests in the past few days. He hadn't moved from his desk chair since Kate Beckett had left. In his hand he held a photograph he kept in a bottom drawer: Roy Montgomery and himself in a bar somewhere, young and smiling and lifting their glasses.

The man named Mr. Smith had been his disguise, his protection, for nearly two decades. The moment he entered this room to discover Maddox at his desk, he knew that Smith was dead. The young detective was right; this was no way to live. It was time for Mark Pinsky to finish what he said he would do, what a young lawyer and a young cop swore to each other they would finish someday, a lifetime ago.

It was time to make his stand.

x-x-x-x-x

Kate was not good at waiting. She had arrived at the loft around 5 p.m., and within half an hour she had called Ryan or Esposito six times to check on their progress with the cab, Mr. Smith's possible hiding places, details from the video, and any word from the kidnapper. Espo had finally told her point blank to stop calling, that they would call her the second they knew anything more.

Now she was pacing back and forth across the loft. Martha had insisted they try to eat something, since neither had eaten anything all day, so Castle was making sandwiches. He put one in a baggie for Alexis; she probably hadn't eaten all day either, and planning for their reunion was a small comfort he could take. He cajoled Kate into taking a bite whenever her path took her past the kitchen. She insisted she wasn't hungry, and honestly he wasn't either, but it gave him something to concentrate on besides checking the time on his phone every 30 seconds.

When Kate's phone rang, they all froze. She looked at the caller ID— Esposito— and answered it.

"What've you got?" she asked, and at his response she looked up at Castle.

"It's time."

* * *

_Up next: the confrontation at last! We here at...my story...value your feedback._


	7. Ashes and Fire

_Previously:_

_When Kate's phone rang, they all froze. She looked at the caller ID— Esposito— and answered it._

_"What've you got?" she asked, and at his response she looked up Castle._

_"It's time."_

* * *

**Solid Ground**  
**7. Ashes and Fire**

* * *

Beckett and Castle pulled up outside a small distribution warehouse for an online resaler that had recently gone bust. Maddox had called the precinct at 6:00 exactly and demanded to speak with Beckett. Once Esposito connected them, his instructions were short and to the point. _Come to this address. Bring the files. Only you and Castle. You have exactly 20 minutes. Fail to meet any of these conditions and the girl dies._

Gates had insisted they bring backup, but agreed to keep them out at a two-block perimeter until Alexis was safely out of Maddox's hands.

It was now 6:15, and they were still sitting in the car.

Castle groaned and gripped his hair in frustration. "This is killing me. She's right in there."

"I know, but until Smith gets here with the files, she might as well be a thousand miles away."

"Are you sure he'll come?"

"He'll come." He had called Kate mere moments after she'd hung up with Maddox and said only, "Where?" Once he had the address, he'd hung up without a word. From the background noise, it sounded like he was already on his way to or from somewhere; certainly not sitting in his carefully insulated study. Kate chose to take that as a good sign.

But now it was 6:20, and there was no sign of him.

Beckett took a deep, measured breath. "Okay, we need to go in. But I need you to stay calm so we can stall for time. Smith will come." She turned to give him a searching look. "Rick, are you sure you can handle this? I can go in alone—"

"No. She needs me to be there. _I_ need to be there. I can handle it."

Kate nodded and squeezed his hand. Then they got out of the car and walked in together.

x-x-x-x-x

The door was open. They blinked as their eyes adjusted to the shuttered gloom inside. Beckett repressed her instinct to draw her weapon, but she did do a visual sweep of the room. A second story walkway with doors all along it circled the space. Thick columns and pallets of merchandise scattered around the edges of main floor blocked sight lines. There was no way for their backup to get eyes on them.

_Your basic tactical nightmare._ She tamped down that observation; this was not a tactical operation. This was a simple exchange. _Yeah, right. Simple._

As they came around the edge of an obstructing stack of boxes, they had a clear view of the center of the room. Maddox was facing them, gun held casually at his side. Directly in front of him was Alexis. As soon as she caught sight of her father, her bravado crumbled, and her blue eyes filled with tears.

"Dad?" Her voice cracked as some of the hysteria she hadn't yet felt started to catch up with her.

"I'm here, sweetheart." he answered, trying to keep his voice calm. "Are you all right?"

"I'm okay. I'm not hurt."

Maddox interrupted their reunion. "I'm disappointed. You both appear to be empty-handed."

Beckett took a step forward, but a warning gesture from his gun hand stopped her there. "The files are on their way. You need to give us a few more minutes."

"I don't _need_ to do anything, Detective. Or is it just Kate now? You never struck me as a quitter."

"I had my reasons."

"I made my timetable very clear. If you can't deliver, then we have nothing more to talk about." The moment he started raising his gun, Castle surged forward.

"No!"

Maddox instantly turned the gun on him, and Alexis screamed. Kate put her hands up, palms out. "Listen! Listen to me. I promise you, the files are almost here. You'll get what you want, but only if you give us a few more minutes."

Maddox gave her a disdainful look. "You really have that much faith in your Mr. Smith? He's made a career out of surviving. You're fooling yourself if you think he's not boarding an international flight as we speak."

"Fortunately for them, you don't know me as well as you think." From the direction of the door, Mr. Smith came into view, carrying a fat manila envelope.

Castle closed his eyes and let out a shuddering breath. Thank God.

Maddox raised his eyebrows. "Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Bring it to me."

Smith stepped forward, handed over the packet, then stepped back to one side. Maddox indicated to his as-yet-silent lackey that he should train his gun on the group while Maddox opened the envelope. He flipped through each file quickly but thoroughly, keeping an eye on the people in front of him in turn. No one said a word. When he came to the end, he seemed satisfied with what he found.

Wordlessly, he threw the entire packet into a metal barrel that had been dragged into the center of the room, apparently for just this purpose. After dousing the papers thoroughly with lighter fluid, he lit a book of matches and threw it in. Twenty-year-old paper hardly needed an accelerant; the flames caught with a whoosh, and quickly turned the irreplaceable evidence into flakes of black and gray ash that floated and eddied up on the rush of heat.

"You were smart to turn these over," said Maddox, and with a practiced flip he open a tactical knife and cut the plastic restraints from Alexis's wrists and ankles.

With a quick glance at her captor to be sure he was allowing it, she rushed into her father's waiting arms. Castle held her tight, one hand on her head, one around her shoulders, like he was doing his best to hide her where no one could take her again. For Alexis, it couldn't be tight enough.

Kate looked from Castle and Alexis to Mr. Smith, her eyes filled with gratitude. He nodded. His debt to her, her mother, Roy Montgomery, all paid.

But Maddox wasn't done yet. "Smart, but not smart enough." With that, he turned his gun on Mr. Smith and fired. Then he shot his accomplice.

Alexis gave a muffled screamed into her father's shoulder. The two of them and Kate approached Mr. Smith where he had crumpled to the cement floor, and Maddox didn't stop them. Kate put her arms around Alexis while Castle kneeled beside him. For the second time, he was witness to Maddox's flawless aim. The bullet had entered right through the center of Mr. Smith's chest, and the blood was leaving his body quickly. He would not be as lucky as Kate.

Castle held his head. "Thank you," he said quietly, "and I'm sorry. I'm sorry there's nothing left but ash."

Smith shook his head, or at least tried. "Doesn't matter." He struggled to convey his last thought as the light left his eyes. "There is always...a dried flower in a book."

Castle shook his head. "I don't understand." But it was too late. Mr. Smith was dead.

Castle gently laid his head down and stood up, returning to Alexis. Maddox was watching them impassively. Kate knew what came next. She separated herself from the Castles, and with his daughter still in harm's way, Rick did not protest. Instead, he tried a different way to shield her.

"Okay, you got what you wanted. The evidence is gone, and we can't touch your boss now. We all walk away, and this will fade quietly into a crime statistic. You kill her, and I guarantee the press will be all over this: 'The real Nikki Heat gunned down in mysterious circumstances. Author watches, helpless, as muse dies to save his daughter.' Is that the kind of attention your boss wants right now?"

Maddox cocked his head, considering Beckett. "The problem is, I don't think she will walk away. I don't think she can."

Beckett answered calmly. "I already have. I didn't just walk away from this case. I walked away from my job, my life as a cop, everything I was. You think I did that on a whim? I said I'm out, and I meant it. The situation has changed. I have other priorities now." She looked over at Castle and Alexis.

Maddox watched the exchange. "Touching. You want me to believe that you're giving up your life's mission for...what? True love? This may surprise you, but I'm not that much of a romantic."

"It's not just that." Beckett took a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

_So...do you trust me? ;)_


	8. Believe It or Not

_**A/N**: Kudos to all you lovely readers and reviewers! It's not about the numbers, but having my first 100+ review story still feels like a personal milestone, so thanks. :_)

* * *

_Previously:_

_Maddox watched the exchange. "Touching. You want me to believe that you're giving up your life's mission for...what? True love? This may surprise you, but I'm not that much of a romantic."_

_"It's not just that." Beckett took a deep breath._

_"I'm pregnant."_

* * *

**Solid Ground **  
**8. Believe It or Not**

* * *

Maddox blinked, the only sign that he was caught off-guard by her statement. "Really. Am I supposed to congratulate you?"

Castle did her proud. Only someone watching him very closely would have seen his eyes pop open a little wider at her words, or heard his small, quick intake of breath. "Actually, I'd prefer it if you just stayed the hell away from my family, and we'll call it a day."

Beckett's voice was calm and even when she answered. "This crusade already took my mother from me; I'm not going to let that happen to my kid. I intend to be there for her—"

"Or him," Castle jumped in, as if it were a well-worn exchange between them.

"—or him," Beckett continued, "for as long as I can. And that starts with giving him— or her— a chance to show up. The rest of it? It's just not worth it anymore."

Maddox's expression made it clear that he was humoring them. "And what possible reason do I have to believe a woman begging for her life and a professional liar?"

Beckett shrugged. "Believe it or not, it's still true. Come back in a few months and see for yourself. Or read the autopsy report in the paper next week, when all hell breaks loose for your boss."

"If you thought the headline about her death sounded like a complication," said Castle, "imagine the wings this version would have: 'Heat Wave Detective and Unborn Child Murdered'. The press would run with it for months. I would make sure of that. A lot of stones could get turned over with so many eyes on this case. Are you sure there are no more inconvenient truths left for them to find?"

Maddox looked irritated by this turn of events, like he only had one thing left on his To Do list and now he couldn't cross it off. "I am in no way inclined to believe you," he said. "But this is your lucky day, because it isn't my call. I will inform my employer of your...claims. If he agrees that you are being less than honest, you and I will meet again soon, Detective. Or more likely, you'll never see me coming. Now lie facedown, all of you, and count to 100." He added dryly, "That is, if it won't hurt the baby."

They did as he asked, and got as far as 30 before Kate looked up and decided he was long gone already.

x-x-x-x-x

The three of them emerged from the warehouse doors, blinking in the bright evening sun, and waited for their backup to respond to Kate's call. Castle was silent in a very loud way, glancing at Beckett and away several times.

She sighed. "Go on, out with it," she said. "You've been dying to ask."

He started slowly, then finished in a rush. "What you said isn't...true, is it?"

Before she had to hear anything resembling a sex discussion involving her father, Alexis excused herself to use the bathroom just inside the doors.

Beckett gave him a look. "Castle, we've been together for two days. Not that Maddox knows that. It was a bluff."

"Yes. Right. I knew that." He bobbed his head almost comically. "But next time, would you please warn me before you use our fictional child as a bargaining chip?"

As an ambulance and several squad cars pulled into the parking lot, Beckett gave him a slightly mischievous smile. "What can I say? It was an unplanned pregnancy."

Ryan and Esposito in tactical gear jogged up to them as Alexis reappeared, and Castle folded her into his side with one arm.

"No sign of Maddox yet," said Ryan. "Is everyone all right?"

"We're all right," Beckett answered, "but there are two casualties inside: his accomplice, and Mr. Sm— Mark Pinsky," she corrected. He may have lived many years as a shadow, but he died as the flesh-and-blood, idealistic man he once was.

Esposito's radio crackled with a report from the tac team that Maddox must have slipped through the perimeter; no one saw a thing. Beckett hadn't expected any different.

Alexis claimed she was fine, but Castle overruled her and insisted the paramedics look her over while someone took her statement and he called Martha with the good news. He stayed with or near her the entire time, and Alexis suspected that's how it would be for a while: him hovering and constantly checking in. She was just fine with that— for now, anyway.

Kate continued her conversation with the boys. "Maddox shot them both without batting an eye as soon as the files were destroyed."

Espo whistled low. "That is one cool customer. Even for Special Forces. We're assigning a protective unit to you until we track this guy down." She didn't think that would stop him, but she didn't argue.

Ryan ventured, "We heard two shots, but nothing after that. If he wanted you dead, how did you manage to get out without a fight?"

Beckett didn't really want that particular detail in a police report if she could avoid it. "Let's just say we planted a seed of doubt as to whether my death was in his best interests."

"You derailed a pro like that? How?" Espo asked, impressed.

"How about I tell you later?" Kate said. "I'd like to get Castle home."

"Uh huh." They both nodded with mock seriousness.

"With Alexis, you idiots. Get the _Castles_ home," she explained, but it was too late.

Esposito grinned. "This thing we've got going here, where we keep your little secret? You know it's gonna cost you both, right?"

"I'm especially looking forward to Ferrari privileges," Ryan piped in. "Jenny loves that thing."

Javi came back with, "And how come we don't get grande nonfat lattes every morning? I expect to see some changes around here. Serious changes."

"Yeah," said Beckett dryly. "Looking forward to it."

x-x-x-x-x

Beckett gave the rest of her statement to the boys regarding Mark Pinsky and the unknown accomplice's murders. It was a tricky dance, but she thought she managed to answer honestly without triggering any unwanted questions, and they understood the situation well enough to nod and accept what she said at face value. To be more accurate, the questions weren't unwanted so much as untimely and deadly to anyone who asked them. This was not the moment to unmask Drake.

Maybe that moment would never come now.

She chose not to dwell on that thought; she chose to celebrate. Alexis was safe, and she was alive, at least for today. That alone was beating the odds.

She approached the back of the ambulance where the medics were finishing up with Alexis. Kate and the young woman exchanged a smile, and Kate said, "If you're ready, I can take you both home. They said if they have more questions, we can follow up tomorrow at the precinct."

"Yeah, home sounds great," said Alexis. "But first— Dad, could I get a minute alone with Kate?"

Castle looked a little surprised but didn't question the request. "Of course. I'll be right over here." He ran a hand over his daughter's hair and kissed her forehead, then stepped away.

When they were alone, Kate asked, "Are you really all right?"

Alexis smiled a little. "No. But I will be. I'm not going to pretend this wasn't awful. It was. Who knows how I'm going to react once it all sinks in. But I want you to know that I don't blame you for any of this."

Kate shook her head. "Don't absolve me just because you think it would be easier if that's how you felt. I've been through enough to know it doesn't work that way."

Alexis pressed on. "That's not why I'm saying it. It's true that last year I might have blamed Dad's work with you for putting him in danger. But then he and Gram were just out running an errand and ended up as hostages. I realized that life and death, the unexpected, the scary stuff: that's not your fault, that's just life." She smiled. "Or maybe that's just Dad. I think I feel better knowing you're around when he needs saving."

"Which is abnormally often," Kate added.

"So you've noticed that?" Alexis grinned.

"Between the two of us maybe we can keep him out of too much serious trouble."

"You must really care about him if you're willing to try," said Alexis. "I mean, you've seen his police file."

Kate walked with her to where Castle was not-listening nearby. "I have. And if he starts dropping in at your dorm too often, tell him I threatened to read you excerpts from the unedited version."

"Ready to go?" asked Castle, smiling to see the two of them together. He sensed they were already ganging up on him, and he loved it.

As soon as they were seated in the relative privacy of the car, Castle looked over at Beckett's profile with a poorly-concealed grin on his face.

"What?"

"It _could_ be true, and you just don't know it yet."

She should have known that this particular discussion wasn't over. "Castle, it is highly unlikely. Highly."

"So are a lot of things. Like The Situation. But then they happen."

"Fine, there is a 0.5% chance that it's true," Kate conceded. "But let's talk about this later."

"Yes, please," said Alexis. "I've been traumatized enough already today."

x-x-x-x-x

They arrived at the loft to many joyful tears and hugs from Martha, who insisted that Kate join them for dinner. With encouragement from Alexis, she accepted.

The adults followed Alexis's lead and didn't talk much about what had happened that day. Instead they talked about summer plans, and college classes, and her plans to meet her new roommate soon.

Soon the girl was swaying a little in her seat, exhaustion finally taking over, and she stood to go upstairs. Castle stood as well and drew her into a hug.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" he asked.

"No, I'm okay. I just want to shower and then sleep for about a million years. But...you'll be close, right?"

"I'll be right here."

x-x-x-x-x

Kate, Castle and Martha sat on the couch with glasses of wine, quietly celebrating all that had happened, or not happened, that day. Castle was planning to find a good therapist in the morning for Alexis, and Kate offered to ask Dr. Burke if he had any recommendations for adolescent specialists.

"Dr. Burke?" asked Martha.

"My therapist. I've been seeing him since my shooting."

Martha nodded. "That's a brave thing, for someone who needs to put up a good front to be respected at work. From what I've seen lately, it's made you a stronger person. Alexis is lucky to have a young woman to talk to who knows something about what she went through today. She'll get through this and be better for it."

Kate smiled, a little uncomfortable at the praise. "I'm glad to help in any way I can."

Castle said, "She's a strong kid. And with two gutsy dames like you nearby," he saluted his mother and Kate with his glass, "she has as much source for inspiration as I do. I have no doubt that I'm doomed to soon become a powerless figurehead in my own household."

x-x-x-x-x

Martha eventually said goodnight and headed upstairs as well. When they were alone, Castle extended his arm in invitation and Kate fit herself against his side, head on his shoulder and arm around his waist.

"And how about you?" he asked. "How are you doing?"

"I'm alive. Considering the day we've had, I'm good with that."

"But what about tomorrow? I did a check of our hands and sleeves, and I think we're all out of aces. Sooner or later we're going to have a very irritated assassin on our hands again. Unless you want to get to work improving those 0.5% odds," he teased, his voice dropping to bedroom levels.

She dished it back. "I thought you didn't want our child used as a bargaining chip." At the same moment, they both realized they were talking about their fictional baby the way you joke about a foregone conclusion mixed with the theoretical. When someone says, "I'm going to kick your butt on Xbox when we get home," they may or may not kick your butt, but getting home is a given.

Castle sensed the need to change the subject. "Well, assuming Chip is not an option at present—"

"Chip?" she cut in.

"Little Bargaining Chip."

"Right."

Castle continued, "—then we've got nothing. Except what Mr. Smith— Mark— said at the end. 'There will always be a dried flower in a book.'"

"Do you have any idea what that means?"

"No. You?"

She shook her head. "But I think that I'm done thinking for the night. We can figure out our options in the morning."

They didn't move for another few heartbeats, just sat breathing together, until Castle spoke.

"Stay with me tonight?"

She sat up to look into his face and saw his open need to have her close, tinged with just a hint of uncertainty. "Yeah. I'll stay." Another foregone conclusion, she thought, and not just for tonight.

They hauled each other off the couch and walked toward the bedroom. Beckett glanced out the window at the street. "We'll have to add my protective detail to the list of people in the know. Too bad you only have the one Ferrari."

x-x-x-x-x

Morning was just beginning to show itself when Kate's phone rang. She was all tangled up with Castle, and his unconscious body was not cooperating to get her free. It had certainly been very cooperative the night before, when they both needed to feel alive and connected more than they needed uninterrupted sleep.

Now she grumbled and gave his arm a graceless shove, finally freeing herself to reach for her phone before it stopped ringing.

"Yeah. Beckett."

"Beckett, it's me," Esposito's voice cut through her semi-conscious, post-coital, pre-coffee haze. "We need you, Castle, and Alexis to come in right away. We found Maddox."

Now she was fully awake. She gave Castle's shoulder a shake and asked, "Where is he?"

"Lying on Lanie's table. He's dead."

* * *

_Now that I've killed three people, does that make me a serial author?_


	9. The Devil You Don't

_Previously:_

_"Beckett, it's me," said Esposito. "We need you, Castle, and Alexis to come in right away. We found Maddox."_

_Now she was fully awake. She gave Castle's shoulder a shake and asked, "Where is he?"_

_"Lying on Lanie's table. He's dead."_

* * *

**Solid Ground **  
**9. The Devil You Don't**

* * *

Beckett, Castle and Alexis arrived at the 12th by 7:30 that morning. Castle had been hesitant to wake up Alexis, but after she crashed so early he found she was already awake, and more than willing to share any information she could about her time with Maddox if it might help the case.

They approached the boys and Beckett asked without preamble, "What happened?"

"We're not sure," said Esposito. "The body was found by a dock worker early this morning. Single GSW to the forehead, point blank range. CSU is still on-site, but so far no shell casings, no security footage, and no witnesses."

"He knew his killer," said Castle.

"No one gets that close to Maddox without his approval," Beckett agreed.

Castle finished the thought: "So what kind of person takes down a devil like that without a fight?"

Kate grimaced. "The devil we don't know. Maddox's replacement."

"Do you think someone was angry that he didn't kill you?" Ryan asked.

"Maybe," said Beckett. "But he had also become pretty conspicuous the last few days. His face came across the desk of every cop in the city. Maybe his boss decided he had outlived his usefulness."

Karpowsky approached the group, and Alexis agreed to go over yesterday's events piece by piece with her, filling in as many details as she could. Castle watched her walk into the conference room and sit down; outside the loft he was unconsciously tracking her every move, Beckett noticed.

"I'm just glad it's him on that slab instead of you, Beckett," remarked Ryan. "It's good to have you still alive and kickin'."

"And apparently, she's not the only thing that's kickin'." Esposito smirked, glancing pointedly at her abdomen.

Beckett turned to glare at Castle. "You told them?"

Castle put his hands up defensively. "I was giving an official statement to the police! What was I supposed to do, lie?"

"Never mind." She turned to the boys. "Like I told him repeatedly," she threw a not-so-light elbow at his ribs, eliciting a surprised grunt, "it's not true. So can we move on now?"

"Of course," Ryan said with mock seriousness, but unable to hide the lingering grin.

x-x-x-x-x

With her resignation paperwork still in convenient limbo, Gates agreed to let Beckett participate in the investigation, although not as the lead. Cole Maddox was back on the murder board, this time as the guest of honor.

"Okay," said Beckett, "what do we know about where he might have gone after he left the warehouse yesterday?"

"He said he was going to check in with his boss," Castle said.

Ryan asked, "Is this boss the one who pulled the trigger?"

Castle and Beckett held a silent exchange. It was far too dangerous to mention any names out loud, or investigate Drake directly. Besides, he was a public figure and they could probably verify his whereabouts with a simple online search. Beckett answered, "Probably not him. He's not the type to get his hands dirty, at least not anymore."

"But Maddox didn't go straight there," Esposito pointed out. "Lanie said he was killed between 12 and 2 this morning. That leaves at least 5 hours between when you saw him last and when he took a header from that bullet."

Castle threw a theory out there. "So he set up the meeting, but he was uncomfortable with how it might go down. He had destroyed the files, but his mission was incomplete. He felt like he needed something more to offer to make up for the complication."

Esposito asked, "Like what?"

Beckett answered. "Like the last piece of evidence Mark Pinsky had. When he was dying, he mentioned a dried flower in a book. Maybe Maddox knew what that meant."

Castle ventured, "There were a lot of books in his study; what if Maddox took him literally?"

"It's worth a shot." Beckett ordered, "Have uniforms check Pinsky's apartment, especially the study or anywhere else he has bookshelves. Maddox may have been looking for something inside one of them."

Esposito crossed his arms. "Excuse me, who's the lead on this one?"

Beckett gave him a humoring look. "My apologies. How would you like to proceed, Detective?"

"Thank you. Ryan, let's get uniforms to check Pinsky's apartment."

Ryan snapped into action. "Great idea, boss."

x-x-x-x-x

Word came back from Pinsky's apartment: the study had been thoroughly tossed. Every single book on the shelves had been pulled off and left on the floor, thrown into an untidy pile. In fact, there wasn't a single book anywhere in the apartment that hadn't been given the same treatment.

"So either he has severe OCD and couldn't leave just some of the shelves empty," said Castle,

"—or he didn't find what he was looking for." Beckett finished.

"At least Maddox's killer and boss don't have the flower, but we still don't have any idea what the flower is. Or if it even exists." Castle stared at the picture of Pinsky on the board. "I just wish I knew what he was trying to tell me."

"I might have an idea." They turned to see Alexis. "But I'll need a computer."

x-x-x-x-x

After a few minutes of searching online at Beckett's desk, Alexis nodded. "Okay, here it is. I thought that phrase sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it at first. Then I remembered that I heard it in my philosophy class first semester, when we were studying postmodernism."

"Yeah, I coasted through my senior year too," quipped Ryan.

Alexis went on. "A French philosopher named Jacques Derrida once said, 'There is always, absent from every garden, a dried flower in a book.'"

She looked up to see the detectives and her father listening closely, and she took a deep breath. "In a way, he was talking about evidence; the things we leave behind. No matter how hard we try to change our old ways of thinking, or erase the past system and start over, there will always be a little piece of the old that survives somewhere. A flower in a book."

Beckett's mind was racing. "Maddox looked through those files really quickly; too quickly to take in much detail. There's no way he could have accounted for every piece of paperwork he suspected we might have. And besides, it would've been simple for Pinsky to make a copy, but Maddox didn't seem worried about that."

Castle was tracking with her. "This isn't about what we know; it never has been. This is about what we don't know."

Beckett nodded. "There was something missing from that file, and it's the one thing the Dragon is truly afraid we'll find. And Mark Pinsky knew what it was."

"The question is," said Castle, "with the Dragon watching our every move, how do we find it without looking?"

x-x-x-x-x

It was time to take Alexis home. Castle called Martha to be sure she was home for the day, then checked in with Beckett.

"So what's our next move?"

"I think I need to go home too. To my place," she clarified. "There are some things I need to do."

"Oh, sure. Okay." He tried, unsuccessfully, to play it cool. Kate's heart flipped a little. One day, quite possibly one day soon, it would be annoying that he wanted to be with her every waking hour, and every unconscious one too. But it wasn't annoying yet.

"I actually wouldn't mind your help with one thing."

"Oh?" He got a gleam in his eye.

"Not that. Just come over when you can."

x-x-x-x-x

He arrived at her door a few hours later. He actually could have gotten there within 45 minutes of leaving the precinct, but he had his pride to consider, however slightly. Besides, he really did have several email and phone call responses that he had been neglecting since at least Friday. Movie premiere events coming up, chapters overdue, blah blah blah.

However, there was only so cool he could play it, and soon enough he broke down and called her to say he was on his way. He tried to blame the crisis situation or concern for her welfare for his restlessness the whole time they were apart, and those were both valid reasons. But truth be told, hadn't he always been at Beckett's beck and call? Paula had known it the first time she'd laid eyes on her at the_ Heat Wave_ release party.

_When she calls you, do you call her back? Of course you do, because she's important to you. _

Waiting in front of her door, he briefly tried to work up a little manly shame at being so whipped already, but he couldn't. Not when the one with the whip was Kate Beckett.

_Hey, kinky... _

Beckett opened the door and jolted him out of his downward-spiraling train of thought.

"You're just in time." She gave her head a sideways nod toward the living room and stepped aside. Instead of following her direction, he followed her body and gave her a very thorough hello kiss. Reflexively, her arms went up and around his neck in response before she leaned back a little to look at him.

"What's this for?"

"Nothing. Just enjoying the novelty of doing it without getting smacked or threatened with a sidearm."

"Hmm." She kissed him back, then gave him a light swat on the ass as punctuation.

His surprised exclamation was muffled against her mouth before he broke away. "Okay, so the smacks are still in play."

"Come on, there's something I'd like you to help with." She led him to a shuttered window and opened it. Her murder board. She placed a half-full file box on the table in front of it and looked at the opaque glass covered in Post-Its, news articles and photos.

"It's time. Let's take it down."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Castle, not everything I told Maddox was a lie. I really am walking away from this. It's my best chance of staying alive, and it's our best chance to...it's our best chance." She frowned at his resistance. "I thought this was what you wanted."

"I did. I do. It's just that..." He struggled with how to continue. "I pushed you back into all this, and I will always regret that. By the time I realized how dangerous it was, it wasn't so easy to just ask you to quit. Apparently, you have a mind of your own." That earned him a look. "But now it seems like we're one open sightline away from a bullet no matter what we do. So why not make it count?"

She put her hands on her hips. "Are you serious? After all the times you've begged me to stop, now that I actually agree with you, you're asking me to keep going? Now who has the death wish?"

"That's just it!" he exclaimed. "I don't want you to die. I don't want Alexis to die, or anyone I love. I want to walk down the street holding your hand and only worry about where we're going for lunch, not whether there's a gunman on a rooftop watching us. I want us to _live_, not just survive."

"So what are you suggesting? Do you have another lead you've been hiding from me? Or have you figured out some magical way to find one without triggering Drake's wrath? Because I sure as hell haven't!" She was angry now. Angry that he wanted the impossible, to have her drop the case and solve it all at the same time.

Underneath the surface she was truly angry at Drake, for bringing such grief and heartache to her past, and for threatening to repeat the pattern in her future, especially now that she could finally see a future worth fighting for.

Castle took a calming breath before he continued. "You know what? I do have magic; it's us." She let out an exasperated rush of breath, but he pressed on. "The way we finish each others' sentences, the way we find answers together that we never would on our own? I've never had that withanyone else. I don't know how it works. I don't know why it gets to be me at your side instead of someone who actually carries a gun and a badge and does paperwork. None of it makes any logical sense, and to me, that makes it kind of magic.

"I don't want to lose you to this again. I want us to move forward, wherever that leads. But for me, that starts with freedom from fear."

His words had taken the edge off her anger, but she still wasn't ready to go along with it. "So what, we just wave our magic wand over my murder board and wait for the singing birds to weave us a case?"

"If that involves you in a slinky ball gown, then yes."

"Seriously, Castle, what do you expect us to do? We don't know whether Drake bought the pregnancy story, or if it even matters to him either way. For all we know, his new assassin has already picked up where Maddox left off."

"All the more reason to keep looking while we can. But quietly. We start with what we have." He gestured to the board and the box in front of them.

"But we've been over this stuff again and again. What could we possibly have missed?"

"We won't know until we look."

X-X-X-X-X

Kate's anger had burned down to a thoughtful silence. She needed some time to process what Castle had said, so she gathered up her laundry to take downstairs. She paused in the open door and turned to him.

"I have my phone if you need me."

He nodded in acknowledgment of the truce. "Take your time."

In the laundry room, she watched her whites turn over and over, methodically spinning. The clear round washer door could've been a window into her own mind at the moment. She knew how to throw herself into this case completely, and she knew how to walk away. She'd done both more than once. But tempering the quest, and pursuing the truth in the context of things that mattered to her more? She didn't know how to do that.

But maybe she didn't have to. This wasn't a solo act anymore, and wasn't that part of what real partners did— filled in the gaps for each other? If Castle was there to keep her anchored, maybe she could wade back in without drowning.

x-x-x-x-x

She came back upstairs, her laundry folded and her mind calmer, to find Castle cleaning her kitchen. His head was in the fridge, and he was making his way through the hodge-podge of takeout containers within and transferring them to a garbage bag. He had just opened one box, sniffed it gingerly, then made a disgusted face when he noticed she was back.

"If you decide to leave police work, you should consider mad science. You've already created horrible, frightening life right here."

She set down the laundry basket and walked over to face him. "I'll think about it. But not just yet. You're right: we still have work to do."

He framed her face with his hands. "I won't let you get lost again. If you let me not let you." He frowned. "That made more sense in my head."

"Oddly enough, I know what you mean. And I trust you." She reached up to pull his head closer, and sealed her statement with a kiss.

He grinned. "See? Magic."

"Don't get carried away with that, Cinderella." She stepped away from him and went to stand in front of the murder board. "So any brilliant ideas on where to start looking without anyone knowing we're looking?"

He came to stand next to her. "Actually, I think maybe I do."

x-x-x-x-x

_A/N: The flower quote is from Jacques Derrida's "White Mythology: Metaphor in the Text of Philosophy." You know, in case you need a break from fanfic and instead want to MAKE YOUR BRAIN HURT._


	10. Keeping Up Appearances

_Previously:_

_She went to stand in front of her murder board. "So any brilliant ideas on where to start looking without anyone knowing we're looking?"_

_He came to stand next to her. "Actually, I think maybe I do."_

* * *

**Solid Ground **  
**10. Keeping Up Appearances**

* * *

Castle reached out and indicated one area of the board. "We've always assumed that your mother, the two lawyers who volunteered with her, and the document clerk were all killed for the same reason."

Beckett nodded. "The timing and the M.O.'s all coincided."

"But the motive never quite has," Castle added. "Maybe the picture hasn't come together because one of these pieces is from the wrong puzzle. And my money's on the courthouse clerk, Scott Murray."

Beckett tapped her photo of the man thoughtfully. "I took notes on every file he pulled in the weeks before his death, looking for a connection to one of my mom's cases. There was one missing file, but nothing else stood out. Since I found out about Montgomery's deal with Drake, I've been assuming that he had it all these years."

"Maybe that file wasn't the key after all. The Pulgatti case was the common link for your mom and the two other lawyers. What if Drake had Scott Murray killed around the same time, but for a completely different reason?" He turned to look at the box. "Do you still have your notes on his last files?"

"They should be in here somewhere," Kate said, and sorted through the papers until she found the right notebook. "There were a lot of files," she warned. "It's a busy courthouse."

"Then it's a good thing I have nothing else on my calendar for today." Castle suddenly remembered something. "Only, my mother is supposed to teach a class tonight, and I don't want to leave Alexis home alone. Would you mind if...?"

"That's fine, we can go back to your place."

"Great. Do you have another overnight bag? Your other one is still in my room."

Kate crossed her arms. "Castle, is this your way of subtly moving me in one bag at a time? Because I've gotta say: not so subtle."

"No," he drawled. "I was just thinking that, in case anyone is watching us, you could hide the files we'll need under a change or two of clothes— and maybe your own robe so I can get my nice fuzzy one back," he added.

"Very cloak and dagger. Fine, I'll pack the bag, and you finish purging the fridge. With any luck our new shadow will go through my garbage."

Castle shuddered at the image. "A small victory for justice, but we'll take what we can get."

x-x-x-x-x

That evening they were camped out on the couch with more takeout. "Enjoy it now," Castle had warned her. "We're not saving any leftovers for your evil experiments." They divided Kate's old notes into two sections, and they were each reading through half and marking with sticky tabs anything that jumped out. There weren't very many tabs yet.

Her stomach comfortably full, Kate was stretched out on the couch with her head on his lap. His legs were extended forward and propped up on the coffee table, and each of them maintained a comfortable silence except when they ran a possibility past the other.

"See how easy this is?" remarked Castle. "Us leading a normal life and chasing Drake at the same time?"

Beckett snorted. "If by easy you mean hiding in your loft from an assassin after smuggling research materials across town under my bathrobe, then yeah. Super easy. And normal."

"Point taken." After a moment of silence, he added, "But still, don't you think this is nice?"

She looked up at him. "Yesterday around this time we were bargaining for our lives with a cold-blooded killer. Compared to that, almost anything would seem nice."

Castle borrowed one of her hands from the notes she was holding to kiss it. "I'm glad you agree."

She rolled her eyes at that but smiled in spite of herself. "You know what would make my night complete? Finding something useful."

Castle turned the page on his half of the notes and sighed. "I have to admit, all I've found so far is an appreciation for rookie-you's penmanship. It was much easier to read back then. When in the last ten years did you lose all respect for the handwritten wor— wait. Wait a minute." Castle sat up suddenly, forcing Kate to do the same. "Nooo. It can't be that literal."

"What?"

Castle pointed to the page he was reading. "The week before he was killed, Murray pulled a birth certificate for a baby born to a 22-year-old woman named Anna Strickland. The father was listed as 'Unknown.'"

"So?"

"So, the baby's name was Lily."

Beckett locked eyes with him and smiled with the thrill of the hunt. "We just found a flower."

x-x-x-x-x

The next day, they camped out in Castle's office and started investigating the mother. From what they could discover online and by charming the reference librarians at the New York Public Library into doing a little digging, there had been at least three Anna Stricklands living in New York at that time who were the right age.

Thinning it down to the right one would have been easy with police resources. Unfortunately, they didn't want to go through channels any more than they had to. If this woman and her daughter were Drake's biggest secret, odds were he had people in place to make sure they stayed that way.

"Can we assume the obvious here?" Castle asked. "That Drake is Lily's father?"

Beckett nodded slowly. "I think it's safe to say it's likely. I'm guessing that if we went back to that courthouse and examined the birth certificate more closely, we would find signs it had been altered."

"And the one who did the altering was Scott Murray," Castle ventured.

Beckett consulted the senator's website on Castle's laptop. "Drake married his high school sweetheart right after college, several years before the date on this birth certificate, and they're still married. The baby wasn't just the consequence of a youthful indiscretion; she was evidence of his infidelity."

Castle theorized, "The affair ended before he realized Anna was pregnant, and she never told him. Five years later he somehow found out about the baby. It would've been an embarrassment for a mere city councilman, but a career-ender for a rising star in Washington. So he paid the clerk to take his name off the birth certificate."

Beckett continued. "Murray thinks he's making easy money to cover up a politician's dirty little scandal, but he underestimated Drake's ruthlessness. A week later he was dead." After a moment she added, "There's only one problem with this theory."

"What's that?"

"We have absolutely no proof of any of this."

Castle looked at her in mock unconcern. "Sheesh. Gates gives your badge back temporarily and suddenly you're all obsessed with 'process of law' and 'building a viable case.'"

"Don't you air quote me, mister." Kate reached over and grabbed both sets of his extended fingers in her fists.

"Ow! For such dainty hands you have a freakishly strong grip. Careful, those are my typing fingers!"

"I'll show you where you can stick your typing fingers."

"Yes, you'd like that, wouldn't you? Actually, I know for a fact that you— OW!"

The research was abandoned for a wrestling match in which Castle's superior size was pitted against Kate's strategic control of his fingers, combined with years of martial arts training. Castle was not faring well. He managed to trap Beckett against the desk, but then she pulled a reversal that had him squirming and squeaking out "Apples! Apples!"

Neither of them noticed they had an audience until the second time Alexis yelled, "Dad!"

They both froze and looked up to see his daughter standing in the doorway to the office, and she wasn't alone. Another young woman was watching them with a look that could only be described as politely entertained.

Castle took back his fingers and abruptly straightened. "Alexis, hi. I— we— didn't hear you come in."

"Yeah, I got that. Dad, this is Nora, my roommate at Columbia this fall. Nora, this is my dad. And this is his...this is Kate."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Castle. Kate." They each shook the girl's hand. Kate didn't blame Alexis for not knowing what to call her. She wasn't really sure, either. Girlfriend sounded so trite, but partner sounded too established, at least outside the context of their police work.

"You'll have to excuse them, Nora. They're still in the disgusting adorable phase," Alexis deadpanned.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Kate said.

"No problem," said Nora. "My mom and dad are still like that after 25 years, so I've gotten used to the constant embarrassment parents are capable of causing. Nice job on the finger takedown, by the way," she added to Kate. "You totally had him on the ropes."

"I'd like to think I was biding my time," Castle defended. "So what do you girls have planned for the day?"

"Research," said Alexis. "We're going start by making lunch using only a hot plate and ingredients easy to sneak out of a college cafeteria. Then comes online reconnaissance for the traditional pre-college shopping pilgrimage."

"IKEA?" guessed Kate, and they nodded.

"You know, pumpkin, I'm sure we could find you girls some furniture that doesn't come in boxes three inches thick," Castle offered.

"No, that's okay," said Alexis. "Who am I to deny a sacred freshman rite of passage?"

"Besides," added Nora, "I think trying to construct a bed using wordless Swedish pictograms will be a good warm-up for my Intro to Anthropology class first semester."

x-x-x-x-x

Kate and Castle wanted to give the girls their space, so after Alexis repeatedly assured her father that she was fine ("Seriously. Go, Dad."), they went out for ice cream.

"Unless you have a different fictional craving?" Castle asked. "Because I'm aiming for the normal, non-investigative behavior of a man and the wildly hormonal woman bearing his child."

"No, ice cream sounds good," Kate said, "with or without wild hormones."

They each got a double scoop at a cart down the street and continued their walk, enjoying the feeling of playing hooky on a sunny weekday afternoon.

"Is this the part where we hold hands and make moon eyes for the world to see?" asked Castle.

"Let's see," began Kate, and ticked off a roll call on her free hand. "Your family knows, my dad doesn't, the boys know, Gates doesn't, Lanie practically caught us in the act, my mother's killer might believe I'm pregnant, and the rest of the world thinks you've been channeling our unresolved sexual tension into Nikki Heat and Jameson Rook for the past four years. I'd say if there were a moment to play it inconclusive, this would be it."

"Fine, have it your way," conceded Castle. "But when this is all resolved, I am holding your hand in public so hard."

She shoulder-checked him a little to mask (or maybe convey) how utterly sweet she found that statement. "So where are we in our un-vestigation?"

"Besides strolling the streets of a stylish but unpretentious artists' neighborhood?" Castle said in his best real estate agent voice. "We suspect that...the Dragon," he slipped back into code names in public, "has an illegitimate daughter he didn't know about until she was five. As soon as he found out, he erased his connection to her and killed the only witness."

"What about Anna and Lily, did he let them live?"

"Why else would he be so nervous that we'll find them?"

"Finding proof that they existed but died suspiciously could be just as damaging," Beckett countered.

"Okay," said Castle. "We've got three possible Annas who were alive at the right time; we need to find out if any of them died mysteriously. But not right now. Right now I'm taking you and Chip for a walk in the park."

x-x-x-x-x

They were smiling, walking through the park, and eating ice cream.

_Could they be any more cliché right now?_ He wondered. _When are they going to start skipping and singing showtunes?_ Definitely trying too hard, these two.

But it was not his job to make judgement calls. That was Maddox's fatal mistake; too much initiative. No, this man was here to record and report. Let his employer decide if and when it was time to respond. He snapped another round of photos through the large lens: Beckett and Castle talking; Beckett and Castle grinning like lovesick teenagers; Beckett and Castle standing on a bridge watching fricking ducks in the fricking pond.

Even though Maddox had paid dearly for his unsatisfactory work, he had guessed correctly about one thing: their employer would rather avoid a public spectacle if possible. On one side of the scale were the detective and the writer, knowing too much but not quite enough, and choosing to leave it that way. On the other side were the two of them not leaving well enough alone, digging and meddling. If the second side became heavier, his employer would likely think it worth risking the fallout from one or both of their deaths to preserve his privacy.

The man stowed his camera and continued to follow at a very discrete distance. His assignment was to watch carefully for the balance to shift.

* * *

_Starting to come into the home stretch now. My best crystal ball guess for this story is two more chapters, plus a little epilogue, but we'll see. Feedback appreciated, as always!_


	11. Cuffed Again

_Previously:_

_On one side of the scale were the detective and the writer, knowing too much but not quite enough, and choosing to leave it that way. On the other side were the two of them not leaving well enough alone, digging and meddling._

_The man stowed his camera and continued to follow at a very discrete distance. His assignment was to watch carefully for the balance to shift_.

* * *

**Solid Ground**  
**11. Cuffed Again**

* * *

When Castle and Beckett returned from their walk, they could hear Alexis and Nora talking and laughing upstairs, so they headed back to the office to continue the search. Using online directories and Facebook they found two Anna Stricklands still living in the tristate area, but not the third.

"She could have moved," said Castle.

"I've already started checking the first ring of states out; if we can't get specific, we might as well be thorough."

Their afternoon ran into evening in much the same way; methodically using what sources they could publicly access to search for the missing Anna.

They paused their work and stepped into the living room when they heard the front door open and Alexis bid goodbye to her new roommate.

"Nora's not staying for dinner?"

"No, her dad is cooking up some kind of gourmet experiment, and she says he'll pout if she's not there to try it."

Kate grinned. "Sounds like someone else I know."

"Ridiculous," said Castle. "I don't pout. I simply express sympathy for the poor souls who miss out on the birth of culinary greatness."

"Speaking of taste sensations, how about whipping up something inspired for us?" Kate gave his shoulder blade an encouraging pat toward the kitchen.

"Inspired but reliable," Alexis specified. "Some of our hot plate experiments were not so edible, and I'm starving."

x-x-x-x-x

After dinner it was back to work finding Anna from the confines of the office. Hours later, there was still plenty of looking, but no finding. Beckett reminded herself that Castle had written most of her favorite books right here in this room, and she tried to feel inspired instead of increasingly frustrated at being stuck there.

"I really miss Ryan and Esposito right now," bemoaned Castle as he rolled out his neck after encountering another dead end.

"I miss police databases," said Kate. Their search perimeter had now reached Ohio, and the search of online archives and obituaries was progressing at a painfully slow pace.

She clicked a link. "Did you know that the Cleveland newspaper is called the _Plain Dealer_?"

"Yeah, their book columnist usually gives me a decent review," Castle said distractedly. "I think I've hit Cleveland once or twice on book tours."

"What a rarified life you lead."

"You dare to doubt the word of Drew Carey? Cleveland rocks."

Kate's attention was suddenly riveted to the screen. "You might be right about that. I found something in their news archives from 18 years ago. 'Police today released the name of the driver in last week's fatal accident on Interstate 480. Anna Strickland, 22, was killed when her car struck an overpass support while traveling at a high rate of speed. Police found no evidence of alcohol or drug use and believe that Strickland fell asleep at the wheel. The car and driver were both licensed in New York, and it is not believed she has any family connections in the Cleveland area."

"What about the baby, was she with her?" asked Castle.

"It doesn't say. And we can't figure out who her next of kin was, or explore whether this was really an accident without better resources." She stood up and started pacing in frustration. "We are so close to something, but I feel like I'm wearing a blindfold and handcuffs."

Castle stood as well. "We've been doing this all day. Come on, it's getting late. Let's go to bed."

She gave him a challenging look. "Is that your answer to everything now? Where's the guy who would sit in front of the murder board with me half the night until something came together or we ran out of leads?"

"We're playing a different game now," he argued. "There's no fresh body, no cooling trail of evidence. Caution will get us further with this one than a research all-nighter will. Or at least it might buy us more time." He attempted to lighten the mood. "But I'll admit, if suggesting 'let's go to bed' had been an option before, I probably would've been a lot less interested in spending half the night staring at a white board."

"Who says it's an option now?" she countered, but without any real heat. "Go on, Castle, go to bed. I'll be there soon. I just need a little time in my own head right now."

"Okay," he tentatively agreed, but he didn't move from where he was standing.

Exasperation overtook her. "What?"

"I don't know!" he answered with confusion. "Is this the part where I give you your space, or the part where I step in and save you from yourself because you say you trust me and that's what I'm supposed to do?"

She sighed. "I do trust you, Castle. This is the part where you go to bed, because I said I would be there soon, and because you trust me too."

He nodded. "Okay. I can do that." He gave her a simple, lingering kiss, then added, "And by the way, never doubt my ability to pull all-nighters of whatever kind you need."

"I'll remember that."

x-x-x-x-x

True to her word, she had crawled into bed about an hour later, and they slept curled together until the sun brightened the room. As much as he wanted to sleep a little longer, Kate was out of bed by 7, and by 8 he gave up on falling back into actual quality sleep. He wasn't sure which was responsible: the fact that his mind was restlessly turning over the case, or that sensing her sleeping form next to his had already become necessary for him to truly relax. Probably both.

He found her in the office, already halfway through her second mug of coffee, and gave her a cautious smile. He didn't want to derail the compromise they had found the night before by tripping over the focused vibe he was picking up from her now.

"Good morning."

"Hey." She glanced up with a greeting smile before returning to her screen.

"Find anything?" he ventured.

"Not yet," she said. "I thought I'd try starting from the West Coast and heading east, just in case Anna had some family out there she was running to when she died. Lily might have gone to live with them."

"How can I help?"

"How about you start with Seattle, and I'll take L.A."

x-x-x-x-x

By late morning Kate was going completely stir-crazy. Castle had been ignoring a series of calls from Gina, and her voicemails were threatening him with increasingly dire consequences if he didn't get his chapters submitted.

Finally Beckett stood up. "You need to get some work done, and I need some air. I'm going to see if Lanie is free for lunch."

"Are you sure it's safe? I could go with you."

"Castle, no. I'll be fine. Stay here."

x-x-x-x-x

Kate found her friend in the morgue.

Lanie looked up to pointedly ask, "And how's the mother-to-be feeling today?"

Oh yeah, she hadn't told Lanie all the details of their escape on Monday. "Javier told you?"

The ME nodded. "I've gotta say, after four years of doing the 'strictly professional' dance, you two are certainly moving at biology-defying speeds now."

x-x-x-x-x

They entered a nearby cafe and sat down at an isolated table. Lanie continued their earlier conversation in an undertone. "For future reference, I expect to hear about any and all pregnancies, whether real, suspected or invented, from you, not Detective Javier Gossip-Pants."

"Sorry, it just sort of happened in the moment."

Lanie smirked. "Why do I think those are the exact words I'll hear again in a year or two when you actually do have a little Castle in the oven?" She sat back and returned to normal volume. "Speaking of Castle, where is your babydaddy?"

"I made him stay home and work. He's got chapters due."

"How very domestic and supportive of you. And how is the honeymoon phase progressing? Besides the assassins and kidnappings, are you kids having a nice week?"

"It's...had its highlights." Kate couldn't completely suppress a grin as selected memories leaped to mind. "This is good, though." She indicated Lanie and their surroundings. "I feel like Castle and I have been handcuffed together since Monday, only instead of a hungry tiger there's a massive conspiracy threatening to eat us if we step out of line."

Lanie looked sympathetic. "Nothing like a constant red alert to add a little extra challenge to a new relationship. Plus the 24-hour Castle Channel must be kind of a lot to take in all at once."

"We're coping all right, I think. Anyway, this constant enforced togetherness is only temporary, until we resolve this case."

"Are you so sure the end is in sight?"

Beckett shrugged. "We've run out of options, and so have the other guys, I think. Either Castle and I find something very soon that will bring the Dragon to his knees, or this grace period will run out."

"And he'll kill you, you mean," Lanie finished.

"Believe me, I'm working hard to avoid that."

"Anything I can do, Kate, you know you only have to ask."

"I know. But this one time I think we have a better chance on our own."

"You and Castle."

She nodded. "Me and Castle."

x-x-x-x-x

When Kate got back to the loft, Martha let her in on her way out the door. "I'm headed to the studio. My students are supposed to present a dramatic solo today in costume, and at least half of them have chosen "Memory." It's a classic, but honestly, all that fur... Wish me luck, darling," and with that she was gone.

Kate found Castle with his feet propped up on his desk, typing away.

"That looks suspiciously like working," she commented. "Getting much done?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," he said airily. "You've arrived just in time to witness the hitting of...the Send button." He stretched his hands up and then behind his head in relief. "Gina now has nothing to complain about. No, wait, that's never true. But she needs to wring the chapters through editing before she can complain at length and in detail, so I bought myself some time. How's Lanie?"

"She wishes us luck. So have we found any yet?"

He turned the screen towards her. "I searched for any Lily Stricklands anywhere who are the right age; no luck so far."

"We really need to find a way to use police resources," said Beckett. "I think we've found as much as we're going to without them."

Castle looked thoughtful. "Whatever came of all those leads we were chasing on Monday to find Mark Pinsky? We didn't end up needing them at the time. No conspicuous digging required for those."

Kate took out her phone and dialed Esposito.

"Yo, Beckett. I thought you and Castle were on silent running at the moment?"

"That's why I need this on the DL. Could you and Ryan send me all the information you found on Mark Pinsky? Associates, bank accounts, safe deposit boxes, anything that came up. No new inquiries, nothing that might raise questions— just email me whatever we already have."

"One batch of reheated leads, coming right up. I've gotta warn you though: the portions may not be to your liking. We didn't find much."

"Whatever you've got. Thanks, Espo."

He feigned ignorance. "For what? I haven't talked to you since Tuesday."

Beckett hung up with a smile. She wasn't ready to jump back in like nothing happened, but at moments like this she couldn't imagine leaving her team behind forever.

x-x-x-x-x

Esposito wasn't underselling it when he said they didn't have much. Pinsky had been living comfortably thanks to his private legal consulting, but although they had traced several bank accounts to him, they had found no evidence of so much as a shoebox under the bed, much less a safe deposit box filled with incriminating evidence.

"He did a fantastic job insulating himself from any ties to his old life or Drake," remarked Castle.

"Possibly too good," said Beckett. "Did he really expect us to find Lily based on nothing but a 12-year-old lead he couldn't even be sure we had?"

"Don't forget about the dying quote from a philosopher who is famously impossible to understand," Castle added. He clicked back and forth through the files Esposito sent, the laptop equivalent of shuffling papers. "You know, we never did find Mr. Smith's files."

"Maddox seemed to think they were the right ones."

"No, what I mean is, _we_ never found them. We found Smith— Pinsky— and he brought us the files."

"And you think he could have done the same thing with Lily?"

Castle nodded. "He knew what our situation would be if we survived past Monday, probably better than we did. I bet he knew that our investigation would be handicapped. If he wanted us to find Drake's daughter, he knew that he needed to practically hand her to us."

Beckett considered his theory. "Pinsky died three days ago. Any information he sent before then should have gotten to us by now, unless Maddox found it first. And we know by the state of Pinsky's apartment that he didn't. So where is it?"

x-x-x-x-x

Alexis stuck her head in later that afternoon. "Dad, I know you guys are in the middle of something kind of intense, but do you mind if Nora joins us for dinner tonight?"

"Not at all, sweetie. I think we could use a distraction for a while." He glanced at Beckett for confirmation, and she nodded.

"Yeah, maybe this dead end will look a little more lively if we walk away for a few hours."

Castle asked his daughter, "What did you have in mind for dinner?"

She answered with a half-question: "I was thinking maybe you could make chicken carbonara?"

He steepled his fingers in the universal gesture of plotting and scheming. "Only if you will help me, young padawan Iron Chef."

"You two make a list, and I'll make the grocery run," offered Kate, and Alexis's grateful smile told her she'd said the right thing. It was unavoidable in the current crisis, but she still felt guilty about dominating so much of Castle's time. Alexis may have been recovering from her kidnapping remarkably well, but this was still her last summer home before college, and they deserved more daddy/daughter time than they were getting.

Castle asked, "So do you two party girls have more research planned for tonight?"

Alexis nodded. "We ran out of time yesterday to compare notes on class and professor choices."

"I thought you didn't register until the end of August?"

"Yes, but the Class of 2016 is already buzzing on Facebook and Twitter about the best classes and what profs to avoid at all costs."

"I have to say," remarked Kate, "you two seem like really well-matched roommates. The only thing my freshman roommate and I had in common was my toothbrush." The girl made a grossed-out face, and Kate grimaced. "Yeah, I know. She didn't think I noticed that she kept borrowing it, but I did. That's when I started keeping a secret spare."

"Thankfully, Nora hasn't shown any signs of creepy toothbrush-borrowing tendencies," said Alexis. "She's pretty great. Who knows what the other girl would've been like?"

Castle looked at his daughter quizzically. "What other girl?"

"I told you before, Dad."

"Was I writing?"

"Probably, sorry," Alexis admitted. "My original roommate got a call last week from Harvard to say she was off the wait list and in for fall. Nora was wait-listed at Columbia until last week, and then admissions called to offer her a spot and fast-track her housing request. We were just lucky, I guess."

"That is pretty lucky," said Beckett, but her instincts were tingling. "This all happened in the last week?"

"Yeah, she got the call on Friday."

Beckett and Castle exchanged a look that said neither of them believed in that kind of luck or coincidence; not this week.

Kate reviewed the timeline in her head. "She's the right age."

"The break-in at Montgomery's must have rattled Pinsky more than he let on," said Castle. "He was afraid Maddox might be closing in, and so he played his ace while he still had the chance."

"He did it," Kate said. "He brought her right to us, and right under their noses."

Alexis cut in with a worried frown. "Dad, Kate, what are you talking about?"

Castle answered gently, hoping to soften what they had to tell her. "It's Nora, sweetheart. If we're right, she's a lot more than just a roommate. She's the key to everything."

* * *

_A/N: Huh, this chapter ended up longer than expected. Thanks for sticking with it! If all goes as planned, the finale is coming up next. As usual, love to hear your thoughts._


	12. A Pressed Flower

**A/N: First of all,** apologies for the unusual lag since the previous chapter. RL intervened, and apparently "watching me write fanfic" is not an acceptable activity to suggest to houseguests.** Second of all,** remember that time when I said there was one chapter left? **LIES!** It's all "finale" type happenings in my mind, but it has become waaay too long for one chapter. It's all (mostly) written though, so I'll be posting from here to the end in quick succession. Onward!

* * *

_Previously:_

_Alexis cut in with a worried frown. "Dad, Kate, what are you talking about?"_

_Castle answered gently, hoping to soften what they had to tell her. "It's Nora, sweetheart. If we're right, she's a lot more than just a roommate. She's the key to everything."_

* * *

**Solid Ground**  
**12. A Pressed Flower**

* * *

Dinner with Nora that evening was a study in forced normality. Castle and Kate tried to maintain casual conversation, but Alexis seemed distracted, and for good reason.

She had listened with quiet shock that afternoon as her father and Kate had filled her in on the basics: that Nora was the daughter of the man responsible for her kidnapping, and the death of Kate's mother. That Nora, or Lily as she was named at birth, probably had no idea who she was, but Mr. Smith thought she was somehow the key to ending her father's career of murder and corruption. That Smith had somehow arranged for her to be Alexis's roommate in order to reveal her to Castle and Beckett without revealing her to Drake.

Castle had been worried about how Alexis would react; after all, his partnership with Beckett had led to yet another serious invasion of her life. However, she handled the news with healthy perspective: "It's not Nora's fault who her father is. Besides, if I get a good friend out of it, I guess I don't care how it happened."

Now they were all sitting around the dinner table eating Castle's chicken carbonara, and the girl who embodied the biggest secret of Beckett's career was the only one, at the moment, without anything to hide. Kate hoped Castle was appreciating the irony. She offered their guest (was she hosting at the loft now?) seconds and said, "I hope you don't mind that Alexis told us you just recently got into Columbia. There must be so much to do at the last minute."

Nora smiled and took a little more chicken. "No, I don't mind. I'm just so happy I got in, I've got nothing but love for the wait list. When I got the call last Friday I squee-ed like the little freshman I am. I have no shame."

Castle asked, "What makes Columbia squee-worthy? Do you have family connections there?" He and Beckett had agreed to try and coax out a little confirming information before they dropped the bomb on the wrong girl.

"My parents both went there," she said. "They met there, actually. I grew up hearing how great it is, so of course from the ages of 12 to 16 I wanted nothing to do with it. Then my dad dragged me on a campus tour junior year, and I caved to its awesomeness."

"It sounds like you're really close to your dad," commented Beckett. "Do you take after him?"

Nora laughed. "Yeah, it's the family joke that I got my father's sense of humor and my mother's eyes."

"What's the punchline?" asked Castle.

"I'm adopted."

Castle and Beckett chuckled politely, but it was getting more and more difficult to finish their nice, normal dinner when the truth was looking more and more obvious.

Nora couldn't help but notice that Alexis had been pushing a piece of chicken around on her plate for the last ten minutes. "Alexis, are you feeling all right? You've been really quiet."

She looked up and her eyes moved to her dad and Kate, seeking permission to air what was pressing in and suffocating her normal good humor. Castle glanced at Kate as well; badge or not, she was still the expert at working with witnesses and families. She gave Alexis a small nod of encouragement; it was time.

"Nora, you know how I said I had kind of a busy day on Monday?"

Nora nodded. "Yeah, after you apologized for taking a whole two days to call me back? I got over it."

"Well, there was more to it than that." She took a deep breath. "I told you that my dad works with the police, and he and Kate have been busy with a big case lately. The truth about Monday is that the man they're investigating wanted to destroy the most important evidence against him, and to get what he wanted, he kidnapped me."

Nora gasped. "What? Oh Alexis, that's awful. Are you okay?"

"I wasn't hurt. I'm still pretty freaked out by the idea of getting into a taxi by myself, but I'm okay." Castle winced; she hadn't told him that. "But there's more to it than that." She looked to Kate, and the detective continued for her.

"Nora, the person responsible for taking Alexis also hired a man to kill my mother 13 years ago, and he's hurt many other people since then, not just Alexis.

"There was another man involved on Monday named Mr. Smith, and he died to help Alexis. He knew that the man who ordered the kidnapping has a daughter he's never been able to find. She's 18 now, born in New York and put up for adoption. We believe Mr. Smith used his influence to bring her into our lives very recently, because he believed that she is the key we need to bring her father to justice."

The Castles and Kate watched understanding dawn on Nora's face. "Wait. You think this girl is _me_?"

"Nora, do the names 'Lily' or 'Anna' mean anything to you?" asked Castle.

The girl stared a him for a moment before answering slowly. "Lily is my middle name. My parents told me it was the name my birth mother gave me. And her name was Anna."

Kate pressed forward. "I know this must be a shock, but please believe that we wouldn't be telling you these things if it weren't very, very important. Is there anything you can tell us about your parents? Anything they left for you, maybe?"

Nora's mouth tightened into a line. "My parents are Dave and Carolyn Turner from New Jersey. These people you're talking about are strangers to me. I'm sorry, but I can't help you." She stood up abruptly and backed away from the table. "Thanks for dinner. Alexis, I...I have to go."

"Nora, wait," Alexis called, and followed her to the door. The girls talked in an undertone while Kate and Castle exchanged a worried look, both wondering if this was too much for the girl to take.

After a few minutes, Alexis spoke across the room to them. "Dad, we're going to the coffee shop down the block. We'll be fine; I promise I'll call when we get there," she added, cutting off his protest before he could voice it.

Castle tamped down his initial worried response. His daughter was an adult now, and like it or not she was part of this; he needed to trust her instincts. "Okay, sweetie. Don't be too long."

Alexis grabbed her purse and they were gone, Nora avoiding eye contact with the two adults who had just tossed her life into such instant disarray.

Once the door closed, Kate shook her head. "I pushed her too fast. I should have eased her into it."

"Is there an easier way to tell an 18-year-old girl that her father is a monster and she's the only one who can stop him? You did the best anyone could."

"But what if it's not enough? If she's not willing to cooperate, we're dead in the water here, Castle."

"Just give her some time. And give Alexis some time. She has a gift for sharing her clarity of thought with others. I would have a lot more scars if she hadn't been around to talk me out of most of my good-ideas-at-the-time."

"Well, let's hope that Nora is less inclined to deep-fry a turkey than you are, and more inclined to help us."

X-X-X-X-X

The new guy was bored.

The only movement in or out of the writer's loft since lunchtime had been the red-haired daughter and her little friend. Roommate, apparently. Now they were sitting in a coffee shop drinking something blended and topped with whipped cream, probably talking about boys. If he wanted an hour of teen girls having heart-to-hearts, he would turn on the CW. Not that he would.

He snapped a few shots for the sake of thoroughness, then sighed. It would make everyone's life simpler if the detective and the writer really had called off their hunt. Simpler, but much less interesting. The new guy liked to stay interested.

X-X-X-X-X

When Alexis came home an hour and a half later, her dad, Gram, and Kate had finished cleaning up from dinner and were sitting on the couch, hunched over something. She stepped close enough to see what it was.

"Oh, Dad, really?" she groaned.

"Yes, really!" He turned the page on the photo album, and young Alexis went from five to six years old. "Ooo, this is the year you were an Ewok for Halloween, remember?"

"I remember being hot and itchy," she replied, "and I remember most of the neighbors telling me what a cute teddy bear I was."

"The ignorance of some people is truly shocking," Castle added with a shake of his head.

"Castle, is that you behind her?" asked Beckett. "Are you...a Wookie?"

"Thank you for not saying Bigfoot," he said.

"Yes, thank you," said Martha. "That mistake cost me over eight hours of my life. He made me watch the entire trilogy one Saturday."

"Plus a bootleg of the Christmas Special," added Alexis.

"Where in the world did you find that costume?" Kate asked. The photo showed an impressively complete ensemble, right down to the prosthetic face makeup and bandolier.

"I know a guy," Castle replied evasively. "He's an artist with fake fur." He let the topic drop and looked at his daughter expectantly. "How was your talk with Nora?"

"Hard," she said honestly, "but good. She's going to help us."

Castle and Kate both let out sighs of relief they hadn't realized they'd been holding.

"Does she have any idea why Smith led her to us?" asked Castle.

"No, and she doesn't know anything at all about her father. But she does have a box of things her mother left for her. She said it's not much, but she'll bring it over tomorrow."

"Thank you, Alexis," said Kate. "I know that must have been hard for you. But this is for her safety, too."

"I know," she said. "That's why I'm doing it. She's had a great life without this guy. If we can get him locked up where he can't get to any of us, then she can go back to living her life without him."

Kate stood up and stretched. "Well, I think it's time for me to go home," she said. "Good night, Alexis; good night, Martha." The young woman looked a little surprised, but she said goodnight. Castle walked with Kate to the door.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" This was a conversation they had already had while Alexis was out. They had nothing to research right now, and Kate felt like her danger would be no greater at her apartment than here; they both knew Drake could reach them anywhere if he chose to. Besides, she wanted to give Castle and Alexis some time alone. He wasn't happy with the idea of her spending the night alone, but he couldn't think of a good reason to push the discussion into argument territory. Meaning, he couldn't think of a way to win the argument.

"Promise me you'll call when you get home?" he asked again.

"And I'll lock all the doors and windows, and call the precinct if I see anything suspicious," she finished, humoring him. "And I'll call you in the morning." She rested her hands on his hips as he snaked his arms around her waist.

"That is not how I prefer that you wake me up," he murmured into her ear.

She brought her lips to his ear and answered, "Go spend time with your kid," then trailed her lips down his jawline to his mouth and kissed him.

They were both conscious of their audience, and after a few moments they separated. "Thank you," he said. He held her gaze for a moment, something shining deep in his eyes that she had only this week begun to name.

"Good night, Castle."

X-X-X-X-X

Castle closed the door behind her and turned back to the living room. Alexis and Martha were looking at the photo album and pointedly not looking in his direction. He walked over to join them and saw that the album had regressed back to Alexis as a baby. In the photo he was holding a little bundle with a shock of red hair, and Meredith was holding her tiny hand. Everyone was smiling.

He sat next to Alexis and put his arm around her.

"I can't believe how small I was," she said.

"Considering all the noise you made, neither can I," he joked.

"Pay no attention to him," said Martha, "you were a delightful baby."

"Delightful, yes, but with a set of lungs like an opera singer. Don't you remember the Colic Incident of 1995? Oh wait, I believe you had a sudden and pressing engagement that weekend."

"Young parents need to spread their wings a little. I was just getting out of your way."

"Well, you succeeded. Anyway, Alexis and I both survived to scream another day."

Martha stood up. "Speaking of another day, it's time for me to turn in. Good night, my darlings." She kissed her son and granddaughter each on the forehead and headed upstairs.

Father and daughter turned back to the photo album. "I wasn't that bad of a baby, was I?"

"No, your grandmother is right. You were a delightful baby when you weren't sick. Or tired. Or hungry."

"Dad!" She gave him a swat, and he hugged her in defense. They stayed that way for a minute, until Alexis asked quietly, "What would you have done?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've been thinking about Nora, and what might have happened with her mother. If we were in danger, back when I was a baby, and you thought I would be safer away from you, would you have given me up?"

"I'd like to think that I would've been noble and brave, like Anna, and done whatever it took to keep you safe. But I've known you for 18 years now. I got to see what an amazing kid you were, what an amazing young woman you're becoming, and I am so grateful that I didn't have to make that choice. I can't imagine my life without you."

"I love you, Dad."

Castle held his daughter even tighter and rested a hand on the top of her head. "I love you too. You'll always be my little Ewok."

* * *

_Comments always welcome._


	13. Anna's Swan Song

**A/N: **Thanks as usual to all of you who have read, reviewed, alerted, and/or faved. Wind, wings, etc.

**Formatting note: **Since ffnet won't let me indent or add extra blank lines, I off-set certain bits of dialogue below with periods. So just ignore the dots; they are only there to keep the blank lines from disappearing.

* * *

**Solid Ground**  
**13. Anna's Swan Song**

* * *

Castle surprised Kate by being the first one to call in the morning.

"Wow, up before eight with no prodding? What's going on?"

"I'll have you know that I am often up before eight, just not out of my jammies without a good reason. And I have a good reason today. Nora is bringing her mother's box over around nine."

"That early?"

"I guess the poor kid barely slept last night. She called Alexis early and said she wanted to get this figured out."

"I'll be right over."

x-x-x-x-x

Beckett arrived at the loft in time to, again, see Martha out.

"I've been told that the less I know about all this, the better," she repeated with an eye roll. "I tried to explain to Richard that I already know more than he thinks I do, but he's under the impression I'll be safer if I'm out of the loop, and I'm humoring him."

"Thank you, Mother," Castle sing-songed from the kitchen.

"Yes, well, I have a workshop to teach this weekend anyway, and today being Friday I might as well prepare for it now." She turned to Kate and said in an undertone: "If you ever worry that it's just you he overprotects, don't. It's his M.O. with all the people he loves. Nothing to do with whether you're capable of taking care of yourself." Her last line grew in volume until the end was projected for the whole room to hear.

"Have a nice day, Mother," Castle called, ignoring her parting jibe. Martha left with a muttered, "Honestly, men need such hand-holding sometimes..."

Kate crossed to the kitchen, where Castle and Alexis were facing each other over three cups of coffee and a bowl of strawberries. He handed Kate the third cup, which she accepted with a smile, their mingled fingers lingering over the exchange.

"So do we have any idea what to expect from this box?" Kate asked.

Alexis shook her head. "Not entirely. Nora said she hasn't looked through it in years, but she remembers a few photos, some cassette tapes, and a note from her mother." She looked at them with sympathy for her friend. "She wasn't even sure she knew where to find it anymore. How is she supposed to explain this sudden interest to her parents— her real parents, I mean?"

Castle covered her hand with his. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I'm sorry Nora got dragged into this."

Alexis shrugged. "It's not your fault her other father is who he is. I just hope you find what you're looking for and this can all be over soon. For all of us."

x-x-x-x-x

Nora arrived right around nine o'clock carrying an old shoebox. Alexis answered the door.

"Hey."

"Hey," Nora answered. They both approached the table where Castle and Beckett were sitting, and Nora politely declined their offer of coffee. "I'm sorry I freaked out last night. I just...it was a lot to take in."

Kate shook her head. "No, Nora, I'm sorry. We sprung this on you out of nowhere. Anyone would have freaked out." She invited the girls to sit down. Nora held the box uncertainly in her lap as Beckett continued.

"I want you to know that how we proceed is entirely up to you. You can tell us or show us as much as you're comfortable with, and we will do everything we can to protect your privacy. But I have to be honest: if we do find something we could use to convict your— this man," she corrected, because he was no father to her, "then there will be a very public trial. You're not a minor anymore, so it's likely that your name will be published. You may even be asked to testify. You need to consider how this will affect your life, and your adoptive parents, too. There's also a chance that this could put all of you in danger, like it has for us." Kate held her gaze. "Knowing all that, are you still willing to help us?"

Nora took a deep breath and exhaled. "Thank you for being honest with me. Last night I was thinking about about what you told me about my father, and wondering why I should have to be the one to stop him. I couldn't stop thinking about a quote that my civics teacher had on his wall, about the triumph of evil."

Castle completed the quote. "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

She nodded. "I don't want to do nothing. I want to help. My parents trust me to make the right decisions. They'll back me up."

Castle pressed gently. "Even if it means sending this man, your father, to prison for the rest of his life?"

Nora ran her fingers around the edge of the box top. "It sounds like Anna went to great lengths to protect me from him. Now I have the chance to protect the rest of the world from him, too. I don't know much about Anna, but I think that's what she would have wanted."

Kate smiled. "Okay."

"Okay." Nora nodded, as much to herself as to the people around her, confirming her choice. "Let's do this." She placed the box in the middle of the table and took off the lid. They got to work.

x-x-x-x-x

It really was a small box, and not even half-filled. First, Nora supplied what little information she knew that wasn't in the box. She was adopted in New York when she was only a few months old. Her birth mother did not request any future contact with her, but she did leave the box and asked that her adoptive parents share it with her when they felt the time was right. When she was thirteen, the three of them had gone through the box together, and Nora had only opened it a few times since then. "Some adopted kids are really driven to learn about their birth parents, but I never was. I had two great parents already; why would I want to chase after people who didn't want me?"

Castle smiled. "I know the feeling. I've never given much thought to who my father is, either."

Nora held a slightly yellowing piece of stationery in both hands. "This letter is the only communication I've ever had from her. It says a little about herself, and that she loved me very much, but that she knew I would have a better life if she gave me up." Nora laid it down and smoothed the edge of the letter. "I always figured it was about money, or not being ready to be a mother. But she did it to save my life, didn't she?" She looked up at Kate. "What happened to Anna?"

Kate reached across and covered the girl's hand with her own. "There was a car accident, Nora, when you were still a baby. I'm so sorry, but she died."

Nora nodded. "I figured she was dead. Otherwise why would you come to me? Still." She wiped away a few quiet tears for the mother she would never meet. Beckett continued to be a presence by her side, Alexis on the other side, not trying to fill the silence, but just being there. Castle was struck again by the depth of compassion and understanding that the tragedy in her life had given to Kate. He had always admired her for it; now he loved her for it, and oh so much. Then again, maybe it had always been love.

After Nora had a chance to let the moment pass, she reached into the box and removed the rest of the contents: a few photos and a handful of tapes. She handed the photos to Castle and Kate. "So there she is. Well, there we are." They saw a young woman with Nora's brown hair, smiling and holding a baby.

"She has kind eyes," said Castle.

"She's really pretty," agreed Alexis, leaning over to look as well.

"And these are the only photos you have of her?" asked Kate. "There's nothing in a wallet or a frame at home?"

"No, I never really felt the need to display them," said Nora.

Kate and Castle looked back to the two photos. There were no other people besides Anna and the baby, and nothing stood out in the background: no open windows or doors, nothing to show a location, and no photos or papers visible anywhere. It looked like they had both been taken in the same nondescript living room.

The only things left were the tapes. They were all home-recorded with plain cases. "What's on these? Have you listened to them?" asked Castle.

"Some, but not all," admitted Nora. "In her letter Anna says she was a violin performance major, and these are recordings she made of herself. I think they were originally meant to send out for auditions, before— well, before me." Nora scanned the letter to find the right section. "Here it is: she says, 'I've never been good with words, but I hope that someday you will listen to my music and hear what I can't say.' I listened to a few of them all the way through when I was thirteen, but I wasn't that into classical, so when it all started sounding the same I sort of gave up."

"I think it's time to revisit the genre," said Castle. He kept talking over his shoulder as he crossed to his office. "Alexis said that you mentioned cassettes, so last night I did some digging in the closet and found this." He re-emerged with an old tape deck.

Kate gave him a teasing smile. "Castle, why do you have that? Do you even own a single cassette?"

"No, but it never hurts to be prepared."

"For what, the return of the true mix tape?"

Alexis cut in. "First it was preparation for Y2K and the self-destruction of all digital media, and then it was the zombie apocalypse."

"Or any apocalypse, really." Castle tapped the player emphatically. "It never hurts to have access to as many media as possible for making or listening to distress messages. Or examining clues," he added pointedly. "You're welcome, by the way."

He took the first tape off the pile and opened the case. It was labeled "Cleveland / Fall 1994 / Barber II & III"

"If she was auditioning for performance schools, that probably means the Cleveland Institute of Music, fall semester," said Alexis.

"And what, the Barber of Seville?" guessed Nora.

"More likely Samuel Barber's Violin Concerto," said Alexis. "I read through it once, but it's way above my level."

Castle put the tape in the player and pressed play. The hiss of blank tape gave way to the usual click-thump at the start of a recording, followed by a voice. "This is Anna — " the last name was recorded over with blank space, "—application for the violin performance master's program. I will be recording Barber's Violin Concerto, movements II and III. Thank you for your consideration."

After a few seconds of silence, a lyrical, haunting melody rose from the past, and even the aging tape and tinny little speakers couldn't completely obscure the beauty of the piece or skill of the player.

"Wow, she was really good," said Nora. "I don't think I realized that before."

The four of them sat around the table, mostly in silence, as the lyrical second movement gave way to the frenetic energy and virtuosic playing of the third movement, and then the recording ended with a click and a soft hiss. They let it play to the end of the side, then flipped the tape over, but there was nothing else.

They all got up to stretch and get more coffee. Nora was silent for a few minutes, still reading over Anna's letter. Finally she looked up and said, "You know, you still haven't told me who my father is, and I haven't asked. I think I needed time to prepare myself, but I'm ready now. Who is he?"

Castle and Beckett exchanged a quick nod; it was time she knew.

"His name is Lucas Drake," Kate said simply.

It took a moment for Nora to place the name. "The _senator_?" Beckett nodded silently. The teen didn't say anything for several seconds, and then she made just one statement.

"Holy shit."

x-x-x-x-x

The second tape they tried was apparently a copy of the first, this one bound for Julliard. They listened to the whole thing, both sides, and heard the same recording. The girls were sticking with it and listening along with them, but Castle suggested they take a break.

"I know these are your mother's tapes, but you don't need to listen to every minute right now if you don't want to. Kate and I will call you if we hear something unusual."

Alexis looked to Nora for her thoughts, and she nodded. "Yeah, I could use a break. Maybe we could do something normal for a while, like obsess over classes and potential majors?" They headed for Alexis's room.

"Don't forget about researching the best way to pick up upperclassmen," added Alexis, with a hair flip and a flagrantly taunting eyebrow spike aimed at her father.

"That's not funny," he called after them. He turned to Kate. "She's kidding. She's kidding, right?"

Kate patted him soothingly on the forearm. "I wouldn't count on it. How about the next tape?"

x-x-x-x-x

They were almost done with their fourth tape and ready to break for lunch. The latest recording was slightly different than the others. Instead of being a polished application submission, it was labeled "Jury practice." That caught their eye until they played it and heard yet more musical excerpts, but this time stopping and starting, with little comments from Anna to herself in between.

"She must have had juried evaluations each semester as part of her degree, where a faculty panel scored her performance," said Castle. "She was probably recording her practice time to help herself prepare."

They listened until both the music and the spoken commentary went silent. "Do you still have the makings of a sandwich around here?" asked Beckett. "I'm starving."

Castle grinned. "You ran right over this morning without eating breakfast, didn't you?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So it's interesting that you find it so hard to be away from me for long, that's all."

She rolled her eyes. "Just for that, next time you call I'm making eggs and bacon and reading the paper before I come over."

"Or you could make eggs and bacon here, after reading the paper in bed with me, and save us both some time."

"Castle, is this another one of your ham-handed ("Bacon-handed," he corrected, which she ignored) attempts at a conversation about moving in together? Because this is really not the time—" she stopped abruptly when he shushed her.

"There's more."

"Yes, I know there's more to this than breakfast. That's why—"

"No," he interrupted again, "there's more to this tape." They both fell silent, and sure enough, indistinct voices could be heard from the tape that they had not bothered to stop.

"Go back," said Beckett, "rewind it a little." Castle stopped and started the tape until he found the end of Anna's last violin excerpt. "Turn it up," said Beckett. "I hear something in the background." With the volume turned all the way up, there was a pronounced buzzing sound, but it wasn't loud enough to cover the voices they could now make out.

.

_ "Annie, we need to use the study for a while. How about practicing later?"_

_ "Sure, that's fine. I was ready for a break anyway. Thanks for letting me use the room; the music building is always so angsty around jury time._

.

Castle looked at Beckett. "She left the recorder on. That second voice: is that...?" She held up a hand to silence him as a door clicked shut and a lock was flipped on the tape.

_._

_"Really, Drake? You bring her here? That's ballsy."_

.

Beckett gave Castle a look that said, _There's your answer_.

_._

_"Not a problem. The little woman is visiting her mother until Tuesday. Besides, I like letting Annie practice here. Playing gets her hot, and my bed is a lot more comfortable than the basement hallway of that freaking music building."_

.

There was testosterone-laced chuckling from what sounded like three voices.

"Even if I didn't know what he's done, I'd hate him already," Castle commented.

"But we can't put him away for being an asshole," Beckett replied, "much as I'd like to. Let's just hope he hasn't noticed the recorder."

The men on the tape were finished congratulating Drake on his two-woman conquest, and one of them got down to business.

_._

_"Whatever, Drake. Have as many "side projects" as you can handle. Just don't forget what your first priority is."_

_ "Serving the good people of New York through elected office?"_

.

More chortling.

"Well, that reaction is...concerning," said Castle.

_._

_"Seriously though. Make sure you're keeping a close eye on those cops. They were, shall we say, hesitant to part with the ransoms they collected from their little burst of entrepreneurship a couple years ago."_

_ "Stop worrying; I made them see reason. In the end they were more than happy to make a sizable campaign contribution."_

_ "Glad to hear it. So where are we on our north side supply problem?"_

_ "I have it from a reliable source that a gentleman going by the name of T-Bone has been less than honest in his dealings with us. Bobby, I need you to fix this."_

_ "Fix as in convince him of the error of his ways?"_

_ "If you consider putting him six feet under to be convincing, then yes. Convince him."_

_ "Got it."_

.

Castle stopped the tape. "Just so we're clear: did we just find a recording in which Lucas Drake admits to cheating on his wife, extorting dirty money, running drugs through Harlem, and ordering a hit on a dealer?"

Kate allowed herself a cautious smile. "We got him. But we need to move fast."

* * *

_ I have now finished everything but the final __ad nauseum_ edit on the end of this story, so we're truly in the home stretch. I mean it this time! One more chapter, plus a little epilogue. Also, if you've never heard Barber's Violin Concerto, do yourself a favor and go find it.


	14. Semblance of a Whole

**A/N: **_This is the first time I have ever managed to finish such a plotty story. I never would have seen it through without your feedback and encouragement, so thank you, thank you, thank you! And one more for you, there in the back: thanks! :)_

* * *

_Previously: _

_Castle stopped the tape. "Just so we're clear: did we just find a recording in which Lucas Drake admits to cheating on his wife, extorting dirty money, running drugs through Harlem, and ordering a hit on a dealer?"_

_Kate allowed herself a cautious smile. "We got him. But we need to move fast."_

* * *

**Solid Ground**  
**14. Semblance of a Whole**

* * *

Now this was interesting.

The new guy had made his usual morning report to his employer, sharing via secure web server his collection of photos and observations from the previous day. Usually, his employer replied with a cursory order to carry on.

Today had been different. His employer had asked for more photos of the roommate. He even went so far as to call, which he rarely did, to grill the new guy on everything he knew about the girl. Finally he had muttered something that sounded like, "Smith, you clever sonofabitch," in a tone that was almost admiring.

Before hanging up, his employer ended with, "I would very much like for you to meet this girl's parents. I have serious concerns about the company she's been keeping."

_Finally_, thought the new guy. _Less watching, more doing._ He made a phone call. If he was going visiting, he would need an address.

X-X-X-X-X

The elevator doors at the 12th Precinct opened to reveal a full house in the car: Castle, Beckett, Martha, Alexis and Nora all stepped out into the bustling bull pen. Beckett had called ahead to Esposito and told him they were bringing Chinese food for lunch. To safeguard against extra ears, 'Chinese food' was their recently-coined code word for a break in the case, so Espo knew to have all hands on deck to move on whatever Kate was bringing in.

Now that they were again becoming a major threat to Drake, Castle wasn't taking any chances when it came to safety. He had ordered a town car to drive them to the precinct, and he insisted on a driver he knew and trusted. They stopped by Martha's studio on the way there to pick her up. It seemed like they had caught a break and Drake didn't know they had hard evidence, but that could change at any moment. Until Drake was exposed publicly, Castle would be keeping his family protected and within reach at all times, and that included Kate.

Nora looked a little intimidated by the intensity of the busy police station, but Alexis offered to take her and Martha to the break room to relax for a while, if that was remotely possible under the circumstances.

Beckett, Castle, Esposito and Ryan intersected at the desks.

"Did you bring me any sweet and sour pork?" Espo asked.

Beckett held up the tape. "Sweet for us, sour for him."

"This should definitely start the ball rolling, with him as Indiana Jones," Castle added. "Or better yet, let's make him a Nazi and melt his face off."

"Is it time to name our Dragon?" asked Ryan.

Beckett did the honors. "Lucas Drake."

Ryan's eyes widened, and Esposito muttered something in Spanish.

"So you can see why we need to do this right, and we need to do it fast. Let's get this tape digitized and cleaned up ASAP. No delivery boys; this goes hand to hand, and only to techs you know personally."

Ryan took the hand-off. "You got it." He half-jogged to the elevator to beg, borrow, or bully the tech guys off of whatever they were currently working on.

Kate looked toward the offices. "I need to talk to Gates. We need the DA on this right away, but I don't know who we can trust. Maybe her time in IA gave her some insight into who might be dirty, officially or not."

x-x-x-x-x

The new guy double-checked the address his source had given him against the number on the house he was observing from inside a van parked just down the block. This was the place. Time to inform these good people of just how dangerous it would be for both them and their daughter if she were to continue her association with Alexis Castle and her family.

The back of his neck was crawling; that usually meant the cops were on their way. Better make it a quick visit. He might need to escort the Turners to another location first, one where they wouldn't be interrupted, so he would have time to convince them of the certain evils of bad company.

x-x-x-x-x

"Dad?" Castle turned to see Alexis and Nora standing nearby. "Nora has a question."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Mr. Castle, I really appreciate everything you're doing to keep me safe, but you've got your whole family here. What about mine?"

Kate answered. "I ordered a protective detail to keep an eye your house as soon as we got here. They're on their way now."

The girl sighed in relief. "Thank you. They're both professors, so since it's summer they're probably home."

Esposito hung up from the phone call he'd just answered, glanced in concern at Nora, and said, "That was the detail you sent to the Turners. When they arrived the door had been forced and the house was empty." Nora sucked in a breath, and Alexis took hold of her arm in support. Esposito went on. "There was no sign of a struggle. They might not have been home. There was a note addressed to you on the kitchen table that said 'Gone sailing, see you for dinner,'" Espo added.

Beckett asked, "Does your family have a boat? What marina do they use?"

Nora smiled in spite of her fear. "They're not heading for the water; that's their idea of a joke. There's a pub they like called The Saucy Pirate. They probably went for happy hour."

Castle speculated, "If the person who broke in made the same mistake we did, he would head for the waterfront to find them. There's only one marina in that area that offers public slips; going there next would be a reasonable move for him."

"Reasonable, but not Saucy," said Beckett. "Find the address of that pub, and let's bring the Turners in. That note may have bought them just enough time."

x-x-x-x-x

The new guy had walked up and down each dock; Dave and Carolyn Turner were not here. Either they were out on the water already, or he was barking up the wrong mast. He suspected the latter.

No matter. He would go back to the house and wait. He had noticed an overstuffed love seat in the living room that looked comfortable.

x-x-x-x-x

"I think you'd better start from the beginning, Detective." Gates was sitting at her desk. She hadn't asked why there were two teenagers, Castle's mother, and as of five minutes ago two very perplexed college professors in her waiting room. She didn't ask why two other detectives had called her to complain that Beckett's team had pulled tech off of their cases to work on hers. She just sat back and waited. Beckett appreciated that. But she knew she better make it good.

"Sir, this is what we know. Lucas Drake is our man. We have evidence against him for extortion, drug trafficking, and murder, and God knows what else he's done. He ordered the hit on my mother."

"My God." Gates held public servants to a higher standard than other people, and to learn that a senator was the man responsible for all this truly shocked her.

Beckett continued. "He also had an affair which ended before he realized the woman was pregnant. The mother, Anna, must have realized how dangerous he was. In order to protect her daughter, the mother gave her up for adoption, but she hid evidence against Drake with the girl. When he found out years later that the child existed, he tried to cover up her paternity, but he was never able to find her. And he never knew what Anna had hidden with her.

"Sir, we have an audio recording of Drake and at least two known criminals discussing past crimes and conspiring to commit murder."

"That's quite a tale, Detective." Gates had recovered her usual disciplined appearance. "How do you suggest we proceed? Drake is no common criminal. Any case you build against him will need to be rock solid."

"Yes, sir, I agree. But his power is largely based on fear and secrets. He thinks he's untouchable, so he acts with impunity. The sooner we expose him, and the sooner the eyes of the country are on him, the sooner we strip him of his power to harm another person. I recommend we contact the DA immediately. I was hoping you might have recommendations on who in that office is above reproach."

Gates gave her a long, searching look before she continued. "Detective, it is not my place to pass judgment on members of the DA's staff. I operate on fact, not rumor or speculation."

"Yes, sir," Beckett replied automatically. Well, it was worth a shot.

"I advise you not to let your expectations run away with you. Accusing a U.S. senator of these kinds of crimes is a very serious business, and the spotlight will be extremely bright. The DA may wish to have more hard evidence before he's willing to proceed."

"Sir, you can't be serious!" Beckett worked hard to control her reaction. "They can't just sit back and hope this goes away!"

"I didn't say they would," said Gates sternly. "I just said it might take more time than you want it to."

Beckett remained silent. If Drake wasn't dragged into the light very soon, she would never live to see the trial. None of them were safe: Castle and his family, Nora and hers. Kate suddenly felt so, so tired. More than tired— weary. Against all odds, they had finally found what they were looking for, but it might not be enough.

She turned to leave, but Gates stopped her. "Oh, and Detective?"

"Sir?"

"What's our containment on this recording?"

Beckett frowned. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Do any copies exist apart from the one you brought in?"

"I don't believe so, sir."

"Good. Let's be extra-vigilant that a copy does not leak out to the media. It's likely that the public outcry would force the DA to act, and that sort of thing is not good for inter-departmental relations."

Beckett stared silently at the captain for a moment. Had she just...? "Of course, sir. We'll do our best. While I'm thinking of it, I heard some of the techs complaining about a network security problem they've been having lately."

"Thank you, Detective. I'll ask I.T. to look into it. You're dismissed." Gates returned to her paperwork with little more than a bland glance in Beckett's direction.

Beckett reminded herself to never play poker with Victoria Gates.

Castle was lurking outside the office door, waiting to hear the outcome. She took his arm and walked him with her while she asked at half-voice, "Who do you know at the Ledger?"

x-x-x-x-x

The parents weren't going to show. They must have gotten wind of something and rabbited. The new guy was just getting up from his very comfortable place on the love seat when his pocket buzzed with an incoming text.

_Drake is out. _

My, my. This was turning out to be a _most_ interesting day.

x-x-x-x-x

By Friday night, the recording that had "somehow" been leaked to the New York Ledger that afternoon had burst onto every major TV, online, and print news source in the country. Voice analysis experts left and right were offering their informed opinion that it was, indeed, Senator Lucas Drake in this recording, along with two known crime bosses active in New York in the early 1990's. It was reported that New York City police and the DA were examining the evidence, but Drake was expected to be called in for questioning soon. So far, the news sources reported, the senator's office had yet to make a formal statement.

Nora and her parents were staying in a hotel for a few days, which Castle insisted on paying for, a protective detail stationed in the hallway. "Nothing smoothes out these 'meet the parents' moments like a 'sorry you were almost kidnapped' gesture," he explained.

Once they got over the initial shock of learning the truth about their daughter and her felonious birth father, the Turners were very gracious, supportive, and even proud of how Nora had chosen to act. It would be a long road, but they were in. After all, they were family.

* * *

It was amazing what a difference 24 hours could make.

It was Saturday night, and Castle, Beckett, Alexis and Martha were having their own celebration back at the loft: wine and ice cream all around. Jim Beckett was currently at his cabin, but Kate had called her father with the news just before the story broke on Friday. The conversation was a tearful one. She had done it; she had found the man who truly killed her mother. There was a long way to go before justice was at all served, but the monster was named and exposed, his power undercut, and that was enough for now. There was more that needed saying between father and daughter, more celebrating and healing and moving on that needed to begin, so he was coming back to town on Sunday.

It seemed that Drake's stranglehold on the truth had very abruptly disappeared. At least half a dozen former associates had already come forward to give sworn statements that he was complicit in illegal activities, and in many cases organized and ordered them himself. Things were coming together.

Kate and Castle stood on the balcony, looking out at the setting sun. Alexis had challenged Martha to a round of Dance Central, and a little trash talk about geriatric hips goaded her Gram into accepting, so the partners had a few moments to themselves.

Standing behind her, Castle put his arms around Kate's waist and pulled her close to him.

"Do you realize that this is the first moment alone we've had in nearly...53 hours?"

"Not that you're counting," Kate teased, but it came out a little breathless. Castle had found that spot behind her ear that made her go all tingly, along with other sensations. She leaned into him and let her head roll to one side to give him better access.

"Castle?"

"Mmm?" he hummed, and she felt the vibration against her back.

"Tell me again."

His mouth was close to her ear, and his soft, even words could almost have come from inside her head. "We found him. We stopped him. It's over."

"I may need a lot of reminding at first."

"Then I happily volunteer for that job."

She turned in his arms and leaned back against the railing. "You just want my permission to nag," she baited with a smile.

"I just want your permission to be there," he countered. "Through everything."

She had no snappy comeback for that. She didn't want their relationship to be nothing but snappy comebacks. She might never wear her heart on her sleeve like he did, but when he gave her real, she wanted to give him real back. She wanted to give him little pieces of who she truly was, bit by bit, to build something together, something new to replace that wall.

She brought one hand to the base of his head and drew herself closer. In a voice just above a whisper, her lips almost touching his, she let go of one piece: "I love you, Castle."

Neither of them could say who closed the final millimeters, but in the space of a moment they were wrapped tightly together, mouths angling to get closer, deeper, hands around waists and shoulders and through hair.

Castle broke off from her mouth to blaze intense, hungry kisses down her neck while she clutched his head close, closer.

He moved to her ear. "Let's go to your place tonight," he rumbled.

She vaguely heard Alexis and Martha inside, laughing at their game. Oh yes. Definitely her place. "Go pack a bag," she managed to get out.

"Yeah." He buried his face in her neck for moment and breathed deep, in and out. "Okay. I'm going." The thought of picking up where they just left off finally got him moving toward the door. He gave her a parting grin. "I seem to have a lot of empty bags in my bedroom to choose from."

She watched him until he was out of sight, then she turned back to the darkening Manhattan skyline and let her mind wander. She did it. She told him. It felt...a little scary. But in a good way; the way life is supposed to feel. She was starting to remember.

When she heard a quiet shuffle behind her, she smiled. "That was quick. Feeling eager, Castle?"

"Don't turn around, Detective." The voice was calm, unremarkable, and definitely not Castle.

Beckett stiffened but didn't move. "Who are you?"

"Let's just say I'm filling the vacancy left by Mr. Maddox. Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you or Mr. Castle. This evening, I am only a messenger." From the direction of his voice, he was standing in the far corner of the balcony, covered in shadow by the building now that the sun was down.

It was ludicrous, given the danger of the situation, but Kate's first thought was, _Was he watching us make out? Worse, was he eavesdropping while I told a man I loved him for the first time in my adult life?_ She shook that off and cut her eyes toward the living room and Castle's family; he noticed.

"They don't know I'm here. And they don't have to. I must congratulate you on so effectively destroying Senator Drake. Regardless of what a jury decides, his career is most definitely over."

"I wasn't in this for revenge."

"No, you were in it for justice, I suppose." His tone wasn't mocking, just detached. "Regardless of your motives, the damage is done. Drake is thoroughly out of favor."

"Out of favor? Whose favor?"

The voice chuckled lightly. "Oh, Detective. Haven't you learned these last thirteen years what happens when you ask too many questions? I will answer with another question: did you really think Drake occupied the top of this food chain? That one senator and a handful of New York lowlifes had such a remarkable amount of power and influence? I reported to Drake for a time, but he was ultimately not my employer.

"I've been sent to tell you that you have been granted a reprieve. Drake's pursuits were his own, not ours, and we will no longer concern ourselves with them. Nor will we protect him any longer. Even you may be surprised at the the number of people suddenly willing to add a nail to his coffin."

"Why are you telling me all this?"

"Because we wish you to understand. You and the writer, and your people, are safe from us, unless you feel compelled to seek us out. Then we have a problem."

Kate heard Castle calling to her from inside. "Quick, Kate, let's go! Before I'm bound by honor to accept a dance-off!"

"Coming!" she called. Of the voice, she asked skeptically, "So that's it? No hard feelings?"

By the shift in the sound of his voice, Beckett guessed he was over the railing now and preparing to leave by a method other than the door. "Consider the slate clean, Detective, and take this opportunity to walk away. It will not come again." Only a subtle whoosh and a more thorough kind of silence signaled to her that he was gone.

A moment later, Castle appeared in the doorway. "C'mon, we're burning moonlight here. Is everything okay?" She turned, and the look on her face was not one he could identify.

She thought about his question. If the voice could be believed, and her instincts told her he could, she and Castle were both safe, their families and friends were safe, and Drake was finished. She would tell Castle everything she'd just heard, but not until tomorrow. He deserved this night of grace.

She came close and ran her hands up his chest and around his neck. "Yeah, everything's good." A single kiss was her punctuation.

He looked at her with a bemused smile as they turned to walk inside, but he let it go. He had told her once that she was a mystery he was never going to solve. In this moment, with the ground firmly beneath their feet and the future stretched out before them, he hoped that would always be true.

* * *

**THE END**

_...more or less. I hope you found the wrap-up satisfying, or at least feasible._

_I haven't marked this as 'Complete' yet because there's a little epilogue coming. From fluff this story came, and to fluff it will return. ;) _

_Thanks for reading, everybody!_


	15. Epilogue: Rematch

**A/N:** _Fair warning: this is one of those epilogues that is also the beginning of something else. That's the problem with modeling your stories after a TV show: it never really ends! :)_

* * *

**Solid Ground  
****Epilogue: Rematch**

* * *

Kate woke up when he reached the back of her knee. Castle was very slowly running one finger up the outside of her leg, starting with a question mark around her ankle bone and moving on from there. His fingertip trailing lightly through that sensitive little valley just behind the tendon is what drew her back to consciousness.

She groaned his name. "Castle."

As a master of subtext, he could tell that the meaning of this name-groan was very different from the one he had heard a few hours earlier. There was a word for words like that, when they held opposite meanings... He would think of it later.

"Yes?" He responded with all the innocence he could muster when his finger had progressed to drawing a rather low circle on her abdomen.

"Castle." Her voice was half-muffled by the pillow, but still managed to sound threatening. "I was sleeping."

"Sweet or savory?" he asked.

"Sleep is always sweet," she stated flatly, her eyes still closed.

"No, for breakfast. Would you like pancakes, or eggs and bacon?"

"Why are you asking me this now?"

"You're right. There's no question: we should definitely have both. All three."

"No, I mean why are you asking _now_, instead of _after_ I woke up?"

He nuzzled her neck with his stubble. "I'm going to make you breakfast in bed. I needed your input. Besides, you don't usually sleep this late. It was a toss-up whether I'd get an irritated 'don't wake me up' now or an irritated 'why didn't you wake me up' later."

She frowned a little; it did seem awfully bright in her bedroom. "What time is it?"

"After eleven."

That woke her up, and she half-turned to face him. "That can't be right. I never sleep this late."

"We've had a hell of a week, Kate. Maybe your body is starting to let go of thirteen years' worth of stress." He flattened his hand low on her stomach and held her flush to him. "And I'm not just saying that to divert attention from the small amount of actual sleeping we did last night."

As if she needed a reminder. She was pleasantly sore from all that not sleeping.

She started to shift. "I should get up and shower. Whatever you want to make sounds fine."

He frowned. "Breakfast in the shower could be problematic. Will you get back in bed afterwards?"

"We'll see, Castle. No promises." In truth, she was feeling unusually lazy. The defining case of her life was closed, at least her part in it was, her employment status was ambiguous at best, and she had nowhere to be until her dad got back to town tonight. Maybe she _would_ get back in bed for breakfast.

Castle sensed the odds were in his favor and pressed his advantage. "Allow me to highlight the merits of this arrangement. First, the location is convenient for post-carbo-load napping. Second, it's also convenient for post-nap entertainment." The hand on her stomach strayed momentarily lower to illustrate. "Third— contranym!" His hand stilled.

Still schooling her reaction to number two— had she always been this insatiable?— it took her a moment to register number three. She turned to look at him and saw that his mind was suddenly elsewhere.

"We should have breakfast in bed because of contranym? Is that related to our methods of protection talk the other day?"

Castle's attention blinked back to her, but not fully. "No, that's not— sorry, different train of thought jumped back on the tracks. But it gave me an idea... Take your time in the shower." He tightened his surrounding arm and kissed her neck in a parting hug, then rolled out of bed, shrugging on the robe he brought from home over his boxers. He also grabbed his laptop out of his bag before exiting the bedroom.

Kate smiled when she realized what was going on. She had seen a similar look on his face many times, when pieces of their case suddenly fell together in his mind. Until last week, however, they hadn't spent much time together not focused on work, even when they weren't in the precinct. She hadn't been privy to moments like these when he was struck by a moment of story inspiration, when suddenly Castle became Richard Castle, not the minor celebrity but the actual writer who got him there. Strangely, recognizing that moment felt almost as intimate to her as two minutes earlier when they'd been lying together mostly naked.

She lay flat and stretched languidly, then after a few minutes of feeling his side of the bed cool, she got up. The shower could wait.

x-x-x-x-x

Castle sat on her couch, typing furiously. Contranyms had given him an awesome idea for an exchange between Nikki and Jameson. He just needed a couple minutes to get this outlined...

"So is that sweet or savory?" He smiled to hear her question as she entered the main room. She was wearing his shirt again, this time over a pair of shorts.

"Definitely savory. This is the fillet mignon of dialogue. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about breakfast. I just need to get a few things down to flesh out later."

He finished typing his thought and looked up at where she had come to perch on the arm of the couch. He considered her for a moment before he spoke. "You know, it's amazing."

"If you do say so yourself."

"Not the dialogue. Although it will probably qualify for a 'sharp and witty.' I mean you. Even half-asleep and incoherent you still manage to inspire the best work of my career."

She smiled at the very Castlesque compliment and tried not to show the quiet thrill it gave her. "Incoherent, huh? You really know how to flatter a girl."

He snapped his laptop shut and set it on the table. "Speaking of flattery, have I mentioned how incredibly sexy you look in my shirts?" He circled her wrist and pulled her down next to him on the couch.

"Your shirts are comfortable," she shrugged. "Clothes off the rack don't feel this way." She didn't add that she also loved the subtle smell of him that permeated the weave of the fabric.

"I would offer to put you in touch with my tailor, but I'd much rather meet your thread count needs this way." He ran a finger and thumb down the row of buttonholes to where the first button connected just above her scar. His other hand slid up her thigh under the hem, but it soon encountered a barrier. "As your self-appointed fashion consultant, I don't recommend these shorts, though. The shirt works much better without them."

"Better for whom?"

"Mutually beneficial, I'd say." He started unbuttoning the first button in line, but she stopped him.

"Breakfast first, Project Runway, then we'll talk wardrobe."

x-x-x-x-x

The food was ready, and Castle was in the process of loading it onto a tray when he froze with a sudden realization.

"Kate, it's Sunday."

"Yeah, so?"

"So you promised me a rematch."

So she had. Exactly one week ago they had been playing strip crossword, and despite his suspicions of foul play she had won. That was before the call from Mr. Smith, before Alexis was taken, before anyone else was aware that they had finally moved forward as a 'they'. And only a day before that, their 'they' had begun.

If she thought too long about how much her life had changed in the last eight days, it made her a little dizzy. In a twisted kind of way, her visit from The New Guy on Castle's balcony had been reassuring. If there was some kind of larger shadow organization at work, that explained why Drake's house of cards collapsed so quickly after just one (admittedly damning) piece of evidence came to light. It gave her hope that he would not get off easily. Or at all.

Let other people worry about conspiracies and kingmakers. Whether or not she went back to the 12th, Beckett still thought like a homicide detective, and unlike Castle she dealt in facts, in specific crimes to be solved. There would always be powerful men serving unknown agendas; that wasn't her war to wage. If they stayed out of her business, she would stay out of theirs. But men like that always left footprints in her world, and messes to clean up; Drake was evidence of that. She suspected that the current truce wouldn't last forever, but she wouldn't be the one to fire the first shot.

For now, she had another challenge to meet. "You think you can take me? Feed me first, then you're on." She turned to the door to get the neglected paper and the crossword it contained.

"Oh, I'll take you all right. In so many ways. But we're already low on clothes. As referee of the suspiciously self-serving rules, tell me: will that be a problem?"

She turned to give him an evil grin as she opened the door. "Don't you remember, Castle? That's when it really gets fun."

Still grinning, she turned back to pick up the paper only to discover that someone had just picked it up for her.

"Dad!"

Jim Beckett looked at his daughter with an equally surprised expression, then over her shoulder at the familiar man in a robe standing in her kitchen.

Castle set down the tray and looked at Kate. "Good call on the shorts."

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_I don't have a name yet for the follow-up story, but keep an eye peeled if you're interested. I do know it'll be a wee short thing compared to this one. :) Thanks for reading, everybody!_


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